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Category: Child Poverty

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scottish Secretary pledges to take action on poverty

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Ian Murray welcomes recommendations by Joseph Rowntree Foundation and vows to work with Scottish Government to tackle associated issues and break down barriers

    Scottish Secretary Ian Murray spoke at the launch of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s (JRF) annual report into poverty in Scotland this week [7 October].

    The report, summarised here, found that one million people in Scotland are living in poverty and that one in four of them are children. Recommendations were made to overhaul the social security system to tackle the problem and, in particular, for the UK and Scottish Governments to work together to make the process smoother in terms of reserved and devolved policy areas.

    An excerpt follows from the remarks made by the Scottish Secretary at the event: 

    I want to outline some of the steps that the new UK Government is taking to reduce poverty in Scotland and across the whole of the UK.

    We are committed to working together with the Scottish Government, and to reset the relationship between our two governments. Because, as this latest report highlights, it is vital that we can deliver on behalf of the people of Scotland.

    I’ve spent a lot of time with organisations such as Poverty Alliance to understand fully the complexities of what’s happening. 

    Having one million people in poverty – a quarter of those children – is really sobering. But I think the most sobering thing is that none of us are surprised, and that really should be the thing that we need to tackle in terms of policy.

    We are only 95 days into this new government and we’ve already done a lot of engagement to make sure we can develop these policies, whether it be in social security or regarding the underlying parts of poverty. 

    With the Budget coming up on 30 October, the Chancellor has been clear on two things. One is the economic inheritance that we’ve got to try and deal with and that those with the broadest shoulders will carry the majority of what needs to be done to grow the economy for all parts of our country.

    Reducing poverty across all sections of society, particularly child poverty, is in our DNA. We did it before. Unfortunately, we’re going to have to do it again. 

    We will be publishing our Employment Rights Bill this week to fundamentally transform work and pay. It will ban exploitative zero-hour contracts, outlaw fire and rehire and will make sure that the National Minimum Wage becomes a genuine living wage.

    It’s still sobering that two-thirds of children in poverty are in households where one or both adults are working full time, and that means that there’s a big problem with pay. We hope that our New Deal for Working People will start to resolve some of those issues.

    I think it’s also important to highlight our Universal Credit review, which will look at everything from the two-child cap to housing allowances.

    We’ve also launched our Child Poverty Task Force, chaired jointly by the Secretaries of State for Education and the Department of Work and Pensions. It looks at all the other big issues that are around in terms of poverty.

    Yes, it’s about the social security system, Universal Credit, but it’s also about housing, educational attainment, health inequalities, pay in the workplace, progression and skills. It’s about those underlying causes of poverty that are inherent in our society that we need to find a way to resolve once and for all.

    Having grown up on a council estate, I know that having that security of tenure of a house was the bedrock in which the family was built, and without that it’s difficult to see how you can get yourself out of poverty.

    Housing is devolved, but both governments are working very closely together to make sure that we can resolve the housing emergency that’s been declared across a lot of our local authorities. 

    We’ve made a good start over the last 95 days. There will be bumps in the road, because these are fundamental challenges, but the whole culture of the new government is to try and resolve these issues. 

    We want to make sure the system can work better, and joint working is really important in this area. There’s no reason why Social Security Scotland and the DWP can’t work jointly in terms of the delivery of social security, to make sure that we get the best out of both systems for the benefit of everyone who needs to access that system. 

    Regarding the low update of benefits by ethnic minorities, I think that’s a huge challenge for us. Not just finding those individuals and families, but actually being able to engage with them and get them what they deserve to be claiming. That’s a huge battle for us all to try to work together and resolve.

    We’ve got four big priorities as a new government and as a Scotland Office. Growth is the number one priority, but that also feeds into our green agenda, which is our second priority. Our third one is Brand Scotland to try and increase our exports, to improve our businesses and create more jobs. And the fourth one, which attached the first three, is the eradication of poverty.

    That’s something that myself and Ministerial colleague Kirsty McNeill are fundamentally committed to doing. We can only do that by all of us – devolved governments, the UK Government and organisations like JRF working together. We must find ways we can not only make the system better, but make sure that those who require access to the system, get access to that system and get the funds and support they deserve.

    There’s a huge amount of work to be done and this report gives us that very sobering starting point.

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scottish Government Accounts 2023-24

    Source: Scottish Government

    Consolidated accounts given unqualified audit opinion.

    The Scottish Government accounts for the last financial year have been given an unqualified audit opinion. 

    In 2023-24 Ministers were required to make tough choices to navigate the “most challenging financial situation since devolution”.

    The Scottish Government’s accounts record total spend of £53,980 million. An underspend of £277 million – around 0.5% of the overall budget – has been carried over in full to be spent in 2024-25.

    Finance Secretary Shona Robison said:

    “Since this government took office, we have consistently managed our fixed budget responsibly and I am pleased the annual accounts have been given an unqualified audit opinion for every one of those years.

    “The last financial year was among the most challenging since devolution, and we have responded to higher inflation and cost of living pressures by making tough decisions to protect the most vulnerable in society.

    “The Scottish Government cannot overspend on its Budget, and in 2023-24 we left a small underspend to ensure we could manage any unexpected funding pressures. Every penny of this has been allocated for spending in 2024-25.

    “We will continue to work to ensure the sustainability of Scotland’s finances as we prioritise our spending towards eradicating child poverty, growing the economy, tackling the climate emergency and improving Scotland’s public services.”

    Background

    The Scottish Government Consolidated Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024 – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

    The Public Finance Minister recently updated Parliament on the Scottish Government’s ten-year programme of reform to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of our public services, and prioritise prevention. Together this will improve outcomes, promote equality and ensure fiscal sustainability.

    Letter from the Minister for Public Finance to the Convener of 23 September 2024 (parliament.scot)

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK climate finance helps reduce more than 105 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions globally

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The UK’s International Climate Finance (ICF) has helped 110 million people adapt to the effects of climate change.

    • Reduced or avoided over 105 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, and avoided 750,000 hectares of ecosystem loss, according to official analysis released today.

    • Climate finance has helped to mobilise £8.4 billion of public and £7.8 billion of private finance for climate change.

    The UK’s International Climate Finance (ICF), helps developing countries limit and manage the impacts of climate change, mitigate further global warming from emissions and avert, minimise and address loss and damage.

    The results published today demonstrate the transformational impact of the UK’s International Climate Finance from 2011, ensuring developing countries have access to clean energy and innovative technology to drive the global transition to net zero, while supporting the most vulnerable countries who are experiencing the worst impacts of the climate crisis. Over the last 12 years, the UK has:

    • Supported over 82 million people with improved access to clean energy.
    • Avoided or reduced 105 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to taking all UK cars off the road for approximately 1 year and 7 months.
    • Avoided 750,000 hectares of ecosystem loss, the equivalent to more than 1 million football pitches.

    Through UK International Climate Finance, UK aid is investing in innovative solutions to tackle climate change, such as energy efficiency and forestry across the Global South to demonstrate their commercial viabilities:

    • The Climate Public Partnership (CP3) programme has been addressing the dual challenge of both climate challenge and access to clean, affordable energy by building a public-private partnership to unlock private investments. By investing in private equity funds, including £50 million to the Catalyst Fund, over a portfolio of 124 projects, UK aid successfully mobilised over £86 million of private finance to date.

    • In Madagascar and Indonesia, UK aid is helping to protect, restore and sustainably manage mangrove forests while reducing the poverty of the coastal communities that rely on them. By working together with national governments, local communities and the private sector, the Blue Forests Programme developed green business opportunities based on sustainable mangrove forestry and fisheries management and helped protect around 58,000 hectares of mangrove forests and delivered around 660,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide savings. 

    These results come as the UK has taken swift action at home to tackle the climate crisis and provide energy security for British families and businesses. The UK is first major economy to set a landmark goal in delivering clean power by 2030. In the space of a few months the Government has already:

    • Lifted the ban on onshore wind in England to roll out a new supply of clean and cheap power.
    • Delivered the most successful renewables energy auction to date, securing enough clean power to supply the equivalent of 11 million homes.
    • Introduced Great British Energy, creating the next generation of skilled jobs and protecting family from volatile fossil fuel prices that helped drive the cost of living crisis.
    • Consented unprecedented amounts of nationally significant solar – 2GW – more than the last 14 years combined.

    The UK will use that strong action at home to accelerate global action at the COP29 summit in Baku, raising ambition to agree a new financial target to support developing countries in tackling climate change.

    Minister for International Development, Anneliese Dodds said:

    International climate finance is at the heart of our climate and development objectives and our Mission to be a clean energy superpower.

    Our work – and the billions in private finance it has unlocked – will help the most vulnerable who are experiencing the worst impacts of the climate crisis and enable partners to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement. 

    Our programmes are making a positive difference to people’s lives and helping to build a liveable planet for all, now and in the future.

    UK Climate Minister Kerry McCarthy said:

    The UK has played a key role in supporting the most vulnerable communities across the globe in tackling climate change while alleviating poverty and improving access to cleaner energy sources.

    But there is more work to do, and unlocking greater global climate finance is crucial in addressing the needs of developing countries who are on the frontline of the crisis.

    That’s why the UK will be pushing for an ambitious finance goal for climate aid at COP29. We will continue to champion the voices of those most affected and we will lead from the front in speeding up the global transition to net zero.

    UK Minister for Nature Mary Creagh said:

    We have a responsibility to tackle the biggest challenges facing our planet. This means putting nature loss and climate change at the forefront of the global agenda.

    We are seeing an unprecedented decline in species and the loss of some of the world’s richest and most diverse ecosystems. Our climate programmes play a vital role in protecting and restoring nature and supporting the communities most affected by this crisis.

    These results come ahead of this year’s UN climate summit COP29 in Baku, which will see countries come together to negotiate a new financial target for supporting developing countries in their climate actions, known as the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG).

    In addition to UK ICF, the UK’s world leading expertise on green finance and net zero industries is supporting developing countries achieve their own climate goals through leveraging private sector funds. Since 2011, the UK has helped mobile £7.8 billion of private finance for climate change purposes.

    The £11.6 billion commitment for the ICF remains the government’s intention as we undertake the spending review. Speaking at the UN General Assembly on 27 September the Prime Minister made clear the UK would continue to be a leading contributor to international climate finance.

    Background

    • The UK’s International Climate Finance is funded by Official Development Assistance (UK aid) from FCDO, DESNZ and DEFRA.
    • UK International Climate Finance (ICF) is a portfolio of investments with a goal to support international poverty eradication now and in the future, by helping developing countries manage risk and build resilience to the impacts of climate change, take up low-carbon development at scale and manage natural resources sustainably. Through annual publications the ICF sets out results from these investments against a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
    • To find out more about International Climate Finance
    • UK International Climate Finance results 2024

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠ Harris Administration Celebrates International Day of the Girl and Continues Commitment to Supporting Youth in the U.S. and  Abroad

    Source: The White House

    International Day of the Girl provides an opportunity to celebrate the leadership of girls around the world and recommit to addressing the barriers that continue to limit their full participation. Today, to commemorate International Day of the Girl, First Lady Jill Biden will host the second “Girls Leading Change” event at the White House to recognize outstanding young women from across the United States who are making a difference in their communities. This year’s event will honor 10 young women leaders, selected by the White House Gender Policy Council, who are leading change and shaping a brighter future for generations to come.  

    The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to ensuring that girls can pursue their dreams free from fear, discrimination, violence, or abuse; and to advancing the safety, education, health, and wellbeing of girls everywhere. Investing in young people means investing in our future; and they should have the opportunity and resources they need to succeed.

    That’s why, since day one in office, this Administration has taken action to advance the safety, education, health, and well-being of girls, including:

    • Accelerating Learning and Improving Student Achievement. The American Rescue Plan, the largest one-time education investment in our history, included $130 billion to help schools address the impact of the pandemic on student well-being and academic achievement. To sustain these efforts, the Biden-Harris Administration increased funding and targeting of federal grants to better support academic recovery—from the Education Innovation and Research program to extended-day and afterschool programming through 21st Century Community Learning Centers. And the Administration’s Improving Student Achievement Agenda for 2024 is helping accelerate academic performance for every child in school.
    • Canceling Student Debt. President Biden and Vice President Harris vowed to fix the federal student loan program and make sure higher education is a ticket to the middle class—not a barrier to opportunity. The Biden-Harris Administration has approved nearly $170 billion in loan forgiveness for almost 5 million borrowers through more than two dozen executive actions with the goal of helping these borrowers get more breathing room in their daily lives, access economic mobility, buy homes, start businesses, and pursue their dreams.
    • Cutting Child Poverty Nearly in Half in 2021. President Biden and Vice President Harris believe that no child should grow up in poverty. Their expansion of the Child Tax Credit helped cut child poverty nearly in half in 2021 to a record low of 5.2%. President Biden and Vice President Harris are fighting to restore this expansion, which would lift over a million girls out of poverty and narrow racial disparities. The Biden-Harris Administration has also lifted hundreds of thousands of girls out of poverty by updating the Thrifty Food Plan and creating SunBucks, a new program that helps low-income families afford groceries over the summer when they don’t have access to school meals.
    • Supporting Youth Mental Health. President Biden and Vice President Harris believe that health care is a right, not a privilege, and that mental health care is health care—period. That’s why they invested almost $1.5 billion to strengthen the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and launched the National Mental Health Strategy, with ongoing investments to strengthen the mental health workforce, ensure parity for mental health and substance use care, connect Americans to care, and better protect youth from the harms of social media. The Biden-Harris Administration is also delivering the largest investments in school-based mental health services ever, bringing 14,000 new mental health professionals into schools across the country and making it easier for schools to leverage Medicaid to deliver care.
       
    • Preventing Gun Violence, Including Domestic Violence with Firearms. Gun violence is the leading killer of children and teenagers in the United States. President Biden and Vice President Harris have taken historic executive action to reduce gun violence and violent crime. In 2022, President Biden signed into law the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), the most significant new gun safety legislation in nearly 30 years. The intersection between guns and domestic violence can be especially deadly, and BSCA expanded background checks to keep guns out of the hands of more domestic abusers, narrowed the “boyfriend loophole” so an individual convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence against a dating partner is prohibited from purchasing a firearm, and expanded funding for red flag laws that allow for temporary removal of firearms from an individual who is a danger to themselves or others. President Biden established the first-ever Office of Gun Violence Prevention, overseen by Vice President Harris. The Biden-Harris Administration has made historic investments in law enforcement and community-led crime prevention and intervention strategies and has announced more executive actions to reduce gun violence than any other administration. Most recently, building on life-saving actions that the Administration has already taken, President Biden signed a new Executive Order in September 2024 to improve school-based active shooter drills and combat emerging firearms threats. The President and Vice President also announced new actions to support survivors of gun violence, promote safe gun storage, fund community violence intervention, and improve the gun background check system, among other actions.
       
    • Launching the American Climate Corps. President Biden launched the American Climate Corps to give a diverse new generation of young people the tools to fight the impacts of climate change today and the skills to join the clean energy and climate-resilience workforce of tomorrow. The American Climate Corps is tackling the climate crisis, including by restoring coastal ecosystems, strengthening urban and rural agriculture, investing in clean energy and energy efficiency, improving disaster and wildfire preparedness, and more. More than 15,000 young Americans have already been put to work in high-quality, good-paying clean energy and climate resilience workforce training and service opportunities through the American Climate Corps—putting the program on track to reach President Biden’s goal of 20,000 members in the program’s first year ahead of schedule.
       
    • Providing Children with Healthier, More Sustainable Environments. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program has awarded nearly $3 billion and funded approximately 8,700 electric and low-emission school buses nationwide, protecting children from air pollution by transforming school bus fleets across America. The Biden-Harris Administration also invested $15 billion toward replacing every toxic lead pipe in the country within a decade, protecting children and schools from lead exposure that can cause irreversible harm to cognitive development and hamper children’s learning. And earlier this year, the Environmental Protection Agency provided $58 million to protect children from lead in drinking water at schools and child care facilities.
    • Fighting Online Harassment and Abuse. Online harassment and abuse is increasingly widespread in today’s digitally connected world and disproportionately affects women, girls, and LGBTQI+ individuals. President Biden established the White House Task Force to Address Online Harassment and Abuse to coordinate comprehensive actions from more than a dozen federal agencies, and his Executive Order on artificial intelligence directs federal agencies to address deepfake image-based abuse. The Department of Justice also funded the first-ever national helpline to provide 24/7 support and specialized services for victims of online harassment and abuse, including the non-consensual distribution of intimate images; raised awareness of new legal protections against the non-consensual distribution of intimate images that were included in the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022; and funded a new National Resource Center on Cybercrimes Against Individuals.
    • Keeping Students Safe and Addressing Campus Sexual Assault. The Department of Education restored and strengthened vital Title IX protections against discrimination on the basis of sex for students and employees. The Department of Justice awarded more than $20 million in FY 2024 to support colleges and universities in preventing and responding to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. And the Department of Education—in collaboration with the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services—launched a Task Force on Sexual Violence in Education that has released data on sexual violence at educational institutions and is working to improve sexual violence prevention and response on campus.
    • Supporting Vulnerable Youth. The Biden-Harris Administration has taken action to support the needs of vulnerable and underserved youth—from helping prevent youth homelessness and human trafficking to supporting employment initiatives for youth with disabilities. This includes $800 million in dedicated funding to support students experiencing homelessness through the President’s American Rescue Plan. The Department of Health and Human Services also issued landmark rules to improve the child welfare system, particularly for the most vulnerable children, and to advance the safety and wellbeing of families across the country, including for LGBTQI+ children in foster care. And the Department of Justice has funded programs to help communities develop, enhance, or expand early intervention programs and treatment services for girls who are involved in the juvenile justice system.

    The Biden-Harris Administration has also taken action to support girls around the globe by fighting to advance the human rights of women and girls and promote access to education, health, and safety, including:

    • Promoting Girls’ Education Globally. The United States is investing in girls’ education around the world, which in turn advances health and economic development. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) invested more than $2.5 billion from FY 2021-2023 to increase access to quality basic and higher education, and reached 18.7 million girls and women in 69 countries in FY23 alone to advance gender equality in and through education. The Departments of State and Labor have also supported efforts to promote girls’ education through science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education programs in Kenya and Namibia, as well as technical and vocational education training centers for adolescent girls in Ethiopia. The United States has strongly condemned the restriction of girls’ education in Afghanistan, including by restricting visas for individuals believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, repressing women and girls by limiting or prohibiting access to education.
    • Closing the Gender Digital Divide. Last year, Vice President Harris launched the Women in the Digital Economy Fund (Wi-DEF) to accelerate progress towards closing the gender digital divide. To date, Wi-DEF has raised over $80 million, including an initial $50 million commitment from USAID. Building on the success of the Fund, the Women in the Digital Economy Initiative includes commitments from governments, private sector companies, foundations, civil society, and multilateral organizations that have pledged more than $1 billion to accelerate gender digital equality. This Initiative supports girls’ access to digital learning opportunities, provides employment and educational skills, and helps fulfill the historic commitment of G20 Leaders to halve the digital gender gap by 2030. Since the launch of Wi-DEF, the United States has invested $102 million in direct and aligned commitments to closing the gender digital divide and accelerating gender digital equality.
    • Preventing and Responding to Online Harassment and Abuse Globally. To address the scourge of online harassment and abuse against girls and women, the Biden-Harris Administration launched the 15-country Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse, which has advanced international policies to address online safety and supported programs to prevent and respond to technology-facilitated gender-based violence. Since the Global Partnership was launched in 2022, the Department of State has supported projects in every region to prevent, document, and address technology-facilitated gender-based violence, cultivate safe online use, and respond to survivors’ needs. 
    • Championing Girls’ Leadership in Addressing the Climate Crisis. In 2023, Vice President Harris announced the Women in the Sustainable Economy Initiative—an over $2 billion public-private partnership to promote women’s access to jobs in the green and blue industries of the future—including by advancing girls’ access to STEM education. Through WISE, the Department of State is investing more than $12 million in programs to benefit girls, including programs that promote girls’ economic skills and opportunities in STEM and that foster girls’ roles in leading, shaping, and informing equitable and inclusive climate policies and actions.
    • Strengthening HIV Prevention Services for Girls. To address key factors that make adolescent girls and young women particularly vulnerable to HIV, the United States launched the DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe) public-private partnership as part of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in 2014. Announced in 2023, PEPFAR’s DREAMS NextGen program is the next phase of DREAMS that will take a more nuanced approach that is responsive to the current context within each of the 15 DREAMS countries. PEPFAR has invested more than $2 billion in comprehensive HIV prevention programming for girls through DREAMS—including $1.3 billion since the start of the Administration—and the program reaches approximately 2.5 to 3 million girls annually.
    • Increasing Efforts to End Child Marriage Globally. To address the global scourge of child, early, and forced marriage, USAID and the Department of State invested $86 million in 27 countries to support programs that prevent and respond to this harmful practice, including by equipping girls and young women with education and workforce readiness skills; providing education, health, legal, and economic support; and raising awareness. Under the leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration, the United States also made its first-ever contribution to the UNICEF-UNFPA Global Programme to End Child Marriage, which works in 12 countries in Africa and South Asia to promote the rights of adolescent girls, and is contributing more than $2 million in FY 2024 to UNFPA to help reach refugee adolescent girls and prevent child marriages in humanitarian settings.
    • Leading Programs to End Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting. To address the harmful practice of female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C), USAID invested in programs to address this issue in Djibouti, Egypt, Mauritania, and Nigeria. The United States is a long-standing donor to the UNICEF-UNFPA Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation, and invested $20 million from FY 2020-FY 2023 in this partnership, which has succeeded in advocating for legal and policy frameworks banning FGM/C in 14 of 17 countries and supported more than 6.3 million women and girls with FGM/C-related protection and care services.
    • Promoting Young Women’s Civic and Political Participation. The Biden-Harris Administration has advanced the political and civic participation of women and girls as a pillar of democracy promotion efforts worldwide. The Administration launched Women LEAD, a $900 million public-private partnership focused on building the pipeline of women leaders around the world, including by supporting programs to reach girls and young women. Under this umbrella, the USAID-led Advancing Women’s and Girls’ Civic and Political Leadership Initiative provides more than $25 million to identify and dismantle the individual, structural, and socio-cultural barriers to the political empowerment of women and girls in ten focus countries: Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, Colombia, Ecuador, Honduras, Kyrgyz Republic, Yemen, and Fiji. Furthermore, the State Department is launching a new $1.25 million program in Africa that will empower and equip young women leaders to take on decision-making roles in democratic transition processes.
    • Protecting Girls in Humanitarian Emergencies. The United States government has increased its support for girls in humanitarian and fragile contexts. Since 2021, USAID has more than doubled the percentage of its humanitarian budget allocated to the protection sector, which includes child protection and gender-based violence activities serving girls. In FY 2023, USAID provided $163 million specifically towards addressing gender-based violence in humanitarian emergencies. In 2022, USAID and the Department of State launched Safe from the Start: ReVisioned, which seeks to better address the needs of girls and women from the onset of a conflict or crisis.
    • Combatting Child Trafficking. To combat child trafficking, including trafficking of girls, the Department of State has committed $37.5 million through Child Protection Compacts, building capacity in Jamaica, Peru, and Mongolia, and establishing new partnerships with Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, and Romania. These partnerships strengthen country responses to child trafficking to more effectively prosecute and convict traffickers, provide comprehensive trauma-informed care for child victims—including girls—and prevent child trafficking in all its forms.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Evacuating in disasters like Hurricane Milton isn’t simple – there are reasons people stay in harm’s way, and it’s not just stubbornness

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Carson MacPherson-Krutsky, Research Associate, Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado Boulder

    Evacuation is more difficult for people with health and mobility issues. Ted Richardson/For The Washington Post via Getty Images

    As Hurricane Milton roared ashore near Sarasota, Florida, tens of thousands of people were in evacuation shelters. Hundreds of thousands more had fled coastal regions ahead of the storm, crowding highways headed north and south as their counties issued evacuation orders.

    But not everyone left, despite dire warnings about a hurricane that had been one of the strongest on record two days earlier.

    As Milton’s rain and storm surge flooded neighborhoods late on Oct. 9, 2024, 911 calls poured in. In Tampa’s Hillsborough County, more than 500 people had to be rescued, including a dozen people trapped in a flooding home after a tree crashed though the roof at the height of the storm.

    In Plant City, 20 miles inland from Tampa, at least 35 people had been rescued by dawn, City Manager Bill McDaniel said. While the storm wasn’t as extreme as feared, McDaniel said his city had flooded in places and to levels he had never seen. Traffic signals were out. Power lines and trees were down. The sewage plant had been inundated, affecting the public water supply.

    Evacuating might seem like the obvious move when a major hurricane is bearing down on your region, but that choice is not always as easy as it may seem.

    Evacuating from a hurricane requires money, planning, the ability to leave and, importantly, a belief that evacuating is better than staying put.

    I recently examined years of research on what motivates people to leave or seek shelter during hurricanes as part of a project with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Natural Hazards Center. I found three main reasons that people didn’t leave.

    Evacuating can be expensive

    Evacuating requires transportation, money, a place to stay, the ability to take off work days ahead of a storm and other resources that many people do not have.

    With 1 in 9 Americans facing poverty today, many have limited evacuation options. During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, for example, many residents did not own vehicles and couldn’t reach evacuation buses. That left them stranded in the face of a deadly hurricane. Nearly 1,400 people died in the storm, many of them in flooded homes.

    When millions of people are under evacuation orders, logistical issues also arise.

    Two days ahead of landfall, Milton was a Category 5 hurricane. About 5 million people were under evacuation orders, and highways were crowded.

    Gas shortages and traffic jams can leave people stranded on highways and unable to find shelter before the storm hits. This happened during Hurricane Floyd in 1999 as 2 million Floridians tried to evacuate.

    People who experienced past evacuations or saw news video of congested highways ahead of Hurricane Milton might not leave for fear of getting stuck.

    Health, pets and being physically able to leave

    The logistics of evacuating are even more challenging for people who are disabled or in nursing homes. Additionally, people who are incarcerated may have no choice in the matter – and the justice system may have few options for moving them.

    Evacuating nursing homes, people with disabilities or prison populations is complex. Many shelters are not set up to accommodate their needs. In one example during Hurricane Floyd, a disabled person arrived at a shelter, but the hallways were too narrow for their wheelchair, so they were restricted to a cot for the duration of their stay. Moving people whose health is fragile, and doing so under stressful conditions, can also worsen health problems, leaving nursing home staff to make difficult decisions.

    At least 700 people stayed in chairs or on air mattresses at River Ridge Middle/High School in New Port Richey, Fla., during Hurricane Milton.
    AP Photo/Mike Carlson

    But failing to evacuate can also be deadly. During Hurricane Irma in 2017, seven nursing home residents died in the rising heat after their facility lost power near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In some cases, public water systems are shut down or become contaminated. And flooding can create several health hazards, including the risk of infectious diseases.

    In a study of 291 long-term care facilities in Florida, 81% sheltered residents in place during the 2004 hurricane season because they had limited transportation options and faced issues finding places for residents to go.

    Some shelters allow small pets, but many don’t. This high school-turned-shelter in New Port Richey, Fla., had 283 registered pets.
    AP Photo/Mike Carlson

    People with pets face another difficult choice – some choose to stay at home for fear of leaving their pet behind. Studies have found that pet owners are significantly less likely to evacuate than others because of difficulties transporting pets and finding shelters that will take them. In destructive storms, it can be days to weeks before people can return home.

    Risk perception can also get in the way

    People’s perceptions of risk can also prevent them from leaving.

    A series of studies show that women and minorities take hurricane risks more seriously than other groups and are more likely to evacuate or go to shelters. One study found that women are almost twice as likely than men to evacuate when given a mandatory evacuation order.

    If people have experienced a hurricane before that didn’t do significant damage, they may perceive the risks of a coming storm to be lower and not leave.

    Video from across Florida after Hurricane Milton shows flooding around homes, trees down and other damage. At least five people died in the storm, and more than 3 million homes lost power.

    In my review of research, I found that many people who didn’t evacuate had reservations about going to shelters and preferred to stay home or with family or friends. Shelter conditions were sometimes poor, overcrowded or lacked privacy.

    People had fears about safety and whether shelter environments could meet their needs. For example, religious minorities were not sure whether shelters would be clean, safe, have private places for religious practice, and food options consistent with faith practices. Diabetics and people with young children also had concerns about finding appropriate food in shelters.

    How to improve evacuations for the future

    There are ways leaders can reduce the barriers to evacuation and shelter use. For example:

    • Building more shelters able to withstand hurricane force winds can create safe havens for people without transportation or who are unable to leave their jobs in time to evacuate.

    • Arranging more shelters and transportation able to accommodate people with disabilities and those with special needs, such as nursing home residents, can help protect vulnerable populations.

    • Opening shelters to accommodate pets with their owners can also increase the likelihood that pet owners will evacuate.

    • Public education can be improved so people know their options. Clearer risk communication on how these storms are different than past ones and what people are likely to experience can also help people make informed decisions.

    • Being prepared saves lives. Many areas would benefit from better advance planning that takes into account the needs of large, diverse populations and can ensure populations have ways to evacuate to safety.

    Carson MacPherson-Krutsky works for the Natural Hazards Center (NHC) at the University of Colorado Boulder. She receives grant and contract funding for her work at NHC through the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and other funders.

    – ref. Evacuating in disasters like Hurricane Milton isn’t simple – there are reasons people stay in harm’s way, and it’s not just stubbornness – https://theconversation.com/evacuating-in-disasters-like-hurricane-milton-isnt-simple-there-are-reasons-people-stay-in-harms-way-and-its-not-just-stubbornness-240869

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Evacuating in disasters like Hurricane Milton isn’t simple – there are reasons people stay in harm’s way, and not just stubbornness

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Carson MacPherson-Krutsky, Research Associate, Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado Boulder

    Evacuation is more difficult for people with health and mobility issues. Ted Richardson/For The Washington Post via Getty Images

    As Hurricane Milton roared ashore near Sarasota, Florida, tens of thousands of people were in evacuation shelters. Hundreds of thousands more had fled coastal regions ahead of the storm, crowding highways headed north and south as their counties issued evacuation orders.

    But not everyone left, despite dire warnings about a hurricane that had been one of the strongest on record two days earlier.

    As Milton’s rain and storm surge flooded neighborhoods late on Oct. 9, 2024, 911 calls poured in. More than 500 people were rescued in Tampa’s Hillsborough County. Tampa police helped more than a dozen adults and children from a flooding home after a tree crashed though the roof at the height of the storm.

    In Plant City, 20 miles inland from Tampa, at least 35 people had been rescued by dawn, City Manager Bill McDaniel said. While the storm wasn’t as extreme as feared, he said his city had flooded in places and to levels he had never seen. Traffic signals were out. Power lines and trees were down. The sewage plant had been inundated, affecting the public water supply.

    Evacuating might seem like the obvious move when a major hurricane is bearing down on your region, but that choice is not always as easy as it may seem.

    Evacuating from a hurricane requires money, planning, the ability to leave and, importantly, a belief that evacuating is better than staying put.

    I recently examined years of research on what motivates people to leave or seek shelter during hurricanes as part of a project with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Natural Hazards Center. I found three main reasons that people didn’t leave.

    Evacuating can be expensive

    Evacuating requires a car, gas money, a place to stay, the ability to take off work days ahead of a storm and other resources that many people do not have.

    With 1 in 9 Americans facing poverty today, many have limited evacuation options. During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, for example, many residents did not own vehicles and couldn’t reach evacuation buses. That left them stranded in the face of a deadly hurricane. Nearly 1,400 people died in the storm, many of them in flooded homes.

    When millions of people are under evacuation orders, logistical issues also arise.

    Two days ahead of landfall, Milton was a Category 5 hurricane. About 5 million people were under evacuation orders, and highways were crowded.

    Gas shortages and traffic jams can leave people stranded on highways and unable to find shelter before the storm hits. This happened during Hurricane Floyd in 1999 as 2 million Floridians tried to evacuate.

    People who experienced past evacuations or saw news video of congested highways ahead of Hurricane Milton might not leave for fear of getting stuck.

    Health, pets and being physically able to leave

    The logistics of evacuating are even more challenging for people who are disabled or in nursing homes. Additionally, people who are incarcerated may have no choice in the matter – and the justice system may have few options for moving them.

    Evacuating nursing homes, people with disabilities or prison populations is complex. Many shelters are not set up to accommodate their needs. In one example during Hurricane Floyd, a disabled person arrived at a shelter, but the hallways were too narrow for their wheelchair, so they were restricted to a cot for the duration of their stay. Moving people whose health is fragile, and doing so under stressful conditions, can also worsen health problems, leaving nursing home staff to make difficult decisions.

    At least 700 people stayed in chairs or on air mattresses at River Ridge Middle/High School in New Port Richey, Fla., during Hurricane Milton.
    AP Photo/Mike Carlson

    But failing to evacuate can also be deadly. During Hurricane Irma in 2017, seven nursing home residents died in the rising heat after their facility lost power near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In some cases, public water systems are shut down or become contaminated. And flooding can create several health hazards, including the risk of infectious diseases.

    In a study of 291 long-term care facilities in Florida, 81% sheltered residents in place during the 2004 hurricane season because they had limited transportation options and faced issues finding places for residents to go.

    Some shelters allow small pets, but many don’t. This high school-turned-shelter in New Port Richey, Fla., had 283 registered pets.
    AP Photo/Mike Carlson

    People with pets face another difficult choice – some choose to stay at home for fear of leaving their pet behind. Studies have found that pet owners are significantly less likely to evacuate than others because of difficulties transporting pets and finding shelters that will take them. In destructive storms, it can be days to weeks before people can return home.

    Risk perception can also get in the way

    People’s perceptions of risk can also prevent them from leaving.

    A series of studies show that women and minorities take hurricane risks more seriously than other groups and are more likely to evacuate or go to shelters. One study found that women are almost twice as likely than men to evacuate when given a mandatory evacuation order.

    If people have experienced a hurricane before that didn’t do significant damage, they may perceive the risks of a coming storm to be lower and not leave.

    Video from across Florida after Hurricane Milton shows flooding around homes, trees down and other damage. At least five people died in the storm, and more than 3 million homes lost power.

    In my review of research, I found that many people who didn’t evacuate had reservations about going to shelters and preferred to stay home or with family or friends. Shelter conditions were sometimes poor, overcrowded or lacked privacy.

    People had fears about safety and whether shelter environments could meet their needs. For example, religious minorities were not sure whether shelters would be clean, safe, have private places for religious practice, and food options consistent with faith practices. Diabetics and people with young children also had concerns about finding appropriate food in shelters.

    How to improve evacuations for the future

    There are ways leaders can reduce the barriers to evacuation and shelter use. For example:

    • Building more shelters able to withstand hurricane force winds can create safe havens for people without transportation or who are unable to leave their jobs in time to evacuate.

    • Arranging more shelters and transportation able to accommodate people with disabilities and those with special needs, such as nursing home residents, can help protect vulnerable populations.

    • Opening shelters to accommodate pets with their owners can also increase the likelihood that pet owners will evacuate.

    • Public education can be improved so people know their options. Clearer risk communication on how these storms are different than past ones and what people are likely to experience can also help people make informed decisions.

    • Being prepared saves lives. Many areas would benefit from better advance planning that takes into account the needs of large, diverse populations and can ensure populations have ways to evacuate to safety.

    Carson MacPherson-Krutsky works for the Natural Hazards Center (NHC) at the University of Colorado Boulder. She receives grant and contract funding for her work at NHC through the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and other funders.

    – ref. Evacuating in disasters like Hurricane Milton isn’t simple – there are reasons people stay in harm’s way, and not just stubbornness – https://theconversation.com/evacuating-in-disasters-like-hurricane-milton-isnt-simple-there-are-reasons-people-stay-in-harms-way-and-not-just-stubbornness-240869

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Humanity’s future depends on our ability to live in harmony with nature

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Liette Vasseur, Professor, Biological Sciences, Brock University

    The world is facing multiple — potentially catastrophic — crises, including inequality, poverty, food insecurity, climate change and biodiversity loss. These issues are interconnected and require systemic solutions, as changes in one system affects others.

    However, human systems have largely failed to acknowledge their connection to ecological systems. Most modern societies have dominating and exploitative relationships with nature, which are underpinned by imperialist and dualistic thinking that divides living beings into racial, gender, class or species hierarchies.

    Our current mindset, with its focus on competition, growth and profit, has been a key contributor to social and ecological crises. Even more alarming is that this mindset has depleted nature to the point that it may soon fail to sustain human and non-human lives entirely.

    Sustainable and equitable well-being

    Policies for future survival and prosperity must address the interconnected crises affecting the world today. These challenges are pushing social and economic systems beyond their sustainable limits.

    While current sustainability efforts, such as those outlined in Earth for All: A Survival Guide for Humanity — a collaboration between scientists and economists from around the world — and the United Nations’ Pact for the Future offer pathways for action, they often fall short. These initiatives, though well-intentioned, remain rooted in a business-as-usual approach.



    Read more:
    Have we reached the end of nature? Our relationship with the environment is in crisis

    This isn’t enough. What’s needed is a transformative shift in how we interact with the natural world. A reciprocal relationship between humans and nature, where humans give back to the environment as much as we take, is essential. Sustainable and equitable well-being must be placed at the centre of human societies.

    Central to this transformation is the need to ensure good lives for all while staying within the Earth’s planetary boundaries. These boundaries are the limits within which humanity can safely operate without causing irreversible environmental harm. This will require a new economic mindset that enables people to live with nature, instead of destroying it.

    Change is daunting, but possible

    Though the scale of change needed may seem daunting, it’s achievable and already in motion in some places. In many communities around the world, like Puget Sound on the northwestern coast of Washington state, people are already living in ways that allow humans and ecosystems to flourish.

    In other regions, like Ecuador and Sumas First Nation, new possibilities are emerging for building human societies that operate within the planetary boundaries. Humans are exceptionally adaptable and have the advantage of foresight and the ability to transform entire systems through ethical collaboration.

    Individual action is one necessary element to accelerate this shift. Change often starts small, with individuals and small groups adjusting their lives. But while personal choices do matter, individuals must also push for systemic changes in their communities, organizations, and broader society.

    To make nature-connected living more widely accessible, collaborative, equitable and intentional efforts are needed. This involves intercultural communication, collaboration and open dialogue to ensure diverse perspectives are considered in decision-making processes.

    Thoughtfully considering the direct and indirect impacts of our action, including the immediate and long-term consequences of any decisions, will create more equitable and sustainable systems.

    People looking to create meaningful change should seek to support a range of groups and organizations dedicated to environmental and social justice. This includes Indigenous leaders and treaty protocols, local authorities, environmental advocacy groups, community organizations or labour unions. A good example of this is the work being done by the UNESCO-recognized biosphere reserves.

    Alternative ways of knowing

    The problems facing the world today are vast and multifaceted, and need to be addressed in multiple ways. Both formal knowledge, like scientific research, and informal knowledge, through the Two-Eyed Seeing principle have roles to play in fostering more equitable nature-human relationships.

    Although western scientific knowledge is often centred in evidence based discussion, many valuable solutions stem from alternative ways of knowing, such as Indigenous ecological knowledge. By welcoming and supporting diverse knowledge holders in creating solutions, we can expand the range of approaches, successes and failures from which humanity can learn.

    Creativity — the essence of adaptability — flourishes when different knowledge systems are woven together. However, this must be done ethically and involve consensual and collaborative exchanges to ensure no knowledge system is exploited or undervalued. We must be careful to avoid repeating the mistakes of imperialism and domination that have created our current planetary crises.

    In addition to rethinking how we approach knowledge, rebuilding strong, interconnected relationships between humans and nature also means rethinking our technological systems.

    Technological innovation has been used to exploit the Earth for short-term gains, but it also holds great potential for positive change. It can either maintain or disrupt the status quo, depending on how we use it.

    To build healthier relationships between people and nature, human societies need to adopt a systems thinking approach. This approach looks at the bigger picture, considering the ecological, cultural, political and social aspects of technology in an integrated manner. It ensures that innovation is guided by principles of sustainability and equity.

    What the future holds

    The future will bring massive changes to Earth’s natural environments, accompanied by shocks to political economic and social systems. The survival of human and non-human beings depends on our ability to plan for these challenges.

    Climate change, biodiversity loss and resource depletion are not isolated problems — they are part of an interconnected web of crises that demand urgent and comprehensive action.

    Incremental approaches are not enough to address the scale of these looming threats. Purposefully co-ordinated actions are needed to shift the current trajectory away from exploitation to one of mutual benefit for humans and the natural world.

    What is needed is radical transformation aimed at creating just and flourishing relationships between nature and humanity for the benefit of all current and future life on Earth.

    Christie Manning, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at Macalester College; Jacqueline Corbett, Professor of Information Systems, Université Laval; and Simone Bignall, Senior Researcher at the University of Technology Sydney, co-authored this article.

    Liette Vasseur receives funding from New Frontiers Research Program Exploration program in Canada.

    Anders Hayden and Mike Jones do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Humanity’s future depends on our ability to live in harmony with nature – https://theconversation.com/humanitys-future-depends-on-our-ability-to-live-in-harmony-with-nature-233042

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NIST Announces 2024 Baldrige Awards for Performance Excellence

    Source: US Government research organizations

    Students receiving instruction in an advanced manufacturing lab at Palo Alto College, one of the community colleges in the Alamo Colleges District, which is among this year’s Baldrige Award recipients.

    Credit: Alamo Colleges District

    WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced that five organizations will receive the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s only presidential award for performance excellence. Among the recipients of the newly redesigned national quality award are a pair of two-time winners.

    The Baldrige Award was redesigned earlier this year to focus on organizational resilience. The new criteria are intended to help organizations adapt, innovate and thrive in a dynamic environment where change and disruption are constant. To win the award, in addition to demonstrating organizational resilience, recipients also must show long-term success through favorable performance levels and trends, comparisons to competitors and appropriate benchmarks, and relevant metrics.

    “The 2024 Baldrige Award recipients are role-model organizations that are helping us address some of our nation’s most critical needs, and they demonstrate the resilient spirit of the American people,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “These five awardees are bettering the lives of American workers, strengthening our infrastructure, and improving the quality of life in communities across the nation. Each awardee demonstrates how the Baldrige process makes it possible for any type of organization to achieve excellence on behalf of the people and communities they serve.” 

    The 2024 honorees and some of their achievements are: 

    Alamo Colleges District (ACD) (Texas) provides affordable or tuition-free education to eligible students in an effort to help end poverty, enhance economic and social mobility, and meet workforce demands. Founded in 1945, the district includes five community colleges in the San Antonio area. In 2018, ACD won the Baldrige Award in education, and it now becomes the first higher education institution to win twice. 

    Chickasaw Nation Department of Health (CNDH) (Oklahoma) provides many types of inpatient, outpatient and population health services across a 13-county service area in southern Oklahoma. CNDH received a five-star (highest) rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, placing it among the top 10% nationally among health care organizations so rated. CNDH also ranks within the top 10% nationally both for patients’ willingness to recommend it and for low workforce turnover.  

    The City of Henderson (Nevada), founded in 1953 and named a “city of destiny” by President John F. Kennedy, ranks in the top 10% nationally for police and fire services, emergency preparedness, parks and overall city services. Bloomberg Philanthropies awarded it a “What Works Cities Gold Certification” for data-driven, well-managed local governance. Nearly 100% of the city’s employees indicate that they like the kind of work they do. 

    Freese and Nichols Inc. (Texas) is a privately owned engineering, planning and consulting firm with offices in 12 states. Its projects range from water supply reservoirs and wastewater treatment plants to state highways and flood risk reduction programs. In 2010, Freese and Nichols Inc. won the Baldrige Award in the small business category, and it now becomes the first two-time engineering firm winner. The firm showed total revenue growth from $200 million in 2019 to $325 million in 2023.

    Northeast Delta Dental (New Hampshire) provides prepaid dental insurance coverage and benefits to employers (including associations and union groups) and to individuals. Founded in 1961, Northeast Delta Dental comprises the Delta Dental Plans of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Northeast Delta Dental’s “March to a Million” journey to a million covered lives has insured 1,091,563 people out of a population of 3 million, with a retention rate of 99%. 

    Additionally, several organizations were designated as finalists for the award and received site visits from the Baldrige examiners. These organizations were: the City of Pharr, Texas; the Community Hospital Association of McCook, Nebraska; the Nor-Lea Hospital District, New Mexico; and Southcentral Foundation, Alaska. 

    The Baldrige judges may offer special recognition to finalists for having impact in areas of importance to their organizations, the nation or both. This year, the judges recognize Southcentral Foundation for best practices in its integrated health care system, workforce development, and data and information management approaches.

    Baldrige Award recipients will be recognized during a formal ceremony in Baltimore, Maryland, in the spring of 2025. The ceremony will be followed by the Quest for Excellence Conference, where Baldrige Award recipients and other leading organizations share best practices and innovations that can help any organization improve.

    The Baldrige Performance Excellence Program is a public-private partnership within the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which is dedicated to promoting U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards and technology. The program has fostered the adoption of proven leadership, management and operational best practices, and supported a global community that values people, organizational learning, continuous improvement and striving for sustained excellence.

    The program is funded in part through user fees. Key partners include the nonprofit Alliance for Performance Excellence, a network of Baldrige-based regional and state award programs, and the Baldrige Foundation, which provides advocacy but does not have a role or influence in the annual Baldrige Award process.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Garamendi Introduces Bill to Expand Eligibility for Early Education

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Garamendi – Representing California’s 3rd Congressional District

    WASHINGTON, DC—In recognition of Head Start Awareness Month, U.S. Representative John Garamendi (D-CA-08) recently introduced legislation to expand eligibility for Head Start, the country’s largest federal early education program. Head Start’s current eligibility is primarily tied to the federal poverty line, with limited categorical exceptions. This has left behind many families in California who do not fall below the federal poverty line, but experience poverty due to the disproportionately high cost of living.

    The “Expanding Head Start Eligibility Act of 2024” (H.R.9825) would address this gap by amending the Head Start Act to include families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and federal housing assistance as eligible. Specifically, this legislation would expand categorical eligibility to WIC and federal housing assistance. It would also codify existing categorical eligibility to Head Start for TANF, SSI, and, most recently, SNAP, to prevent a future administration from revoking this inclusion.

    “While the right-wing extremists behind Project 2025 threaten to eliminate Head Start entirely, I am working alongside Head Start administrators to expand access to this critical early education program,” said Garamendi. “By expanding eligibility for Head Start, this legislation ensures that our most vulnerable children and families are no longer left behind in early education. Every child living in poverty should have the opportunity learn and thrive, and this legislation brings us closer to realizing that goal.”

    “Head Start California is proud to support the Expanding Head Start Eligibility Act of 2024,” said Melanee Cottrill, Executive Director of Head Start California. “Many families are eligible for a myriad of other Federal assistance programs but are left out of Head Start. This bill would level the playing field by allowing more of our most vulnerable children and families to apply for Head Start services. It would also stabilize enrollment in parts of California that are experiencing under-enrollment due to demographic shifts and the State’s implementation of universal pre-kindergarten for four-year-olds. We appreciate that this bill would maintain local control of enrollment, allowing individual programs to continue determining which eligible children and families the program is most suited to serve.”

    “E Center is proud to support the Head Start Eligibility Act of 2024.  E Center firmly believes that families that qualify for and rely on supplemental food and housing programs should qualify for Head Start Services.  This bill recognizes that families in need of these basic necessities are also in need of quality childcare services providing support to families as they strive towards self-sufficiency.  Childcare is an essential need for low income families as they work towards stability,” said E Center.

    Since its inception in 1965, the federally funded Head Start program has provided over 39 million children from low-income families with high-quality early education and the skills they need to succeed in school and beyond. Additionally, these locally-run programs partner with families and communities to provide children and their families with health and nutrition services. Nationwide, Head Start serves over 800,000 children annually, including nearly 95,000 in California.

    Endorsed by:  Head Start California, NEA, AFT, AASA, California County Superintendents, National Center on Housing and Child Welfare, Association of Educational Service Agencies, Washington State Association of Head Start and ECEAP, Oregon Head Start Association

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: ADB Publishes Sovereign Default and Loss Rates, Demonstrating Low Credit Risk in Sovereign Operations

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    News Release | 10 October 2024
    Read time: 2 mins

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    MANILA, PHILIPPINES (10 October 2024) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has published a comprehensive report detailing its sovereign default and loss rates over a 34-year period. This report is made in keeping with ADB’s commitment to data transparency and shows the remarkable credit performance of loans to its developing member countries (DMCs).

    The report reveals that ADB has not lost principal, interest, or fees on the more than $250 billion of loans it has extended in its sovereign operations since 1990.

    The report indicates that the average default rate on the ordinary capital resources sovereign portfolio is 0.54%. It further demonstrates that ADB experienced zero new defaults from 2010 to 2021. The low default rate confirms the strength of ADB’s relationship with its DMCs and the preferred creditor treatment accorded to ADB.

    “The average default rate of the sovereign operation is comparable to that of an investment grade portfolio. Compiling and making these data points available to the public will help build a better understanding of emerging market debt originated by multilateral development banks (MDBs),” ADB Vice-President for Finance and Risk Management Roberta Casali said. “It will also allow external parties to make more accurate assessments of the risks involved in investing through or with us.”

    ADB regularly contributes credit data to the Global Emerging Markets Risk Database Consortium (GEMs). The consortium, which includes data from 25 MDBs and development finance institutions, provides insights into the risks associated with investing in emerging markets. The transparency efforts of ADB and GEMs are in line with the recommendations from the Independent Expert Panel commissioned by the G20. These recommendations aim to enhance data transparency as part of an overall effort to optimize balance sheets and increase the lending capacity of MDBs.

    ADB continuously explores ways to effectively manage its capital to help the region address simultaneous crises. In 2023, it unlocked $100 billion in additional lending capacity over the next decade by updating its Capital Adequacy Framework. ADB is working with its development finance partners to mobilize investments in emerging markets through innovative solutions, including risk sharing and structured approaches.

    ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 69 members—49 from the region.

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    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia’s child support system can put single mothers at risk of poverty and financial abuse

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kay Cook, Professor and Research Director, School of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, Swinburne University of Technology

    KieferPix/Shutterstock

    Australia’s child support system can not only increase women’s poverty, but can actually facilitate financial abuse, according to our recent research.

    Child support is an important system that aims to share the financial burden of raising children between separated parents.

    But there are some serious problems with the way it operates, putting already vulnerable women further at risk.

    Drawing on the experiences of 675 single mothers, we sought to examine women’s experience with the child support system from start to finish.

    Our research suggests four key changes could improve both women’s safety and financial wellbeing.

    How does child support work?

    Where deemed necessary, child support arrangements typically require one separated parent to make payments to the other, on a regular basis.

    How much is paid and how it is collected can vary in different circumstances.

    The amount agreed to be paid in child support can take in a range of factors, such as the cost of childcare.
    AKIRA_PHOTO/Shutterstock

    In some families, a child support recipient’s income will be too high to receive the family tax benefit – a key payment that assists with the costs of raising children.

    In this instance, a family can decide for itself how much will be paid, to whom, and how.

    This is called self management, but it is very difficult to navigate when abuse is present in a relationship.

    For families that do collect the family tax benefit, separated parents can use Services Australia to calculate the amount that will be paid.

    Services Australia will consider factors including what it costs to care for and educate a child, as well as the difference in income between the two parents.

    Once the amount has been calculated, separated parents can transfer payments privately between themselves, an approach called “private collect”.

    Alternatively, this group can also use a service called “agency collect” to manage the transfer. Here, Services Australia collects the funds from the paying parent, then gives it to the agreed recipient.

    For parents using agency collect, payments can also be “garnisheed” – deducted from a paying parent’s salary.

    The system is failing the most vulnerable

    Government reports reveal that across the agency collect system, a staggering $1.7 billion is owed to a third of single-parent households, representing 475,000 children.

    The vast majority of this money is owed to women, two-thirds of whom have children in their care 86% or more of the time.

    The vast majority of single parents are single mothers.
    FotoDuets/Shutterstock

    Losing out on payments

    Across the child support system, 28% of paying parents fail to submit tax returns on time, reducing the accuracy of assessments.

    Centrelink’s Family Tax Benefit A (the first part of a two-part payment) is linked to child support, with every dollar of child support above a certain threshold reducing this payment by 50 cents.

    Concerningly, while reports indicate that 60% of single mothers receiving income support have experienced violence prior to separation, less than 15% receive exemptions from having to seek child support on the basis of this violence.

    By not applying for either child support or an exemption, single mothers could lose a significant portion of their Family Tax Benefit A payments.

    These sobering statistics are only part of the picture. Others remain invisible.

    There are another 500,000 or so children in the private collect system. Many of their situations are a mystery. Services Australia doesn’t know how much those women and children are owed, as they don’t trace this amount and assume that payments are fully compliant.

    What we uncovered

    Our mixed methods survey of 675 single mothers asked women about their experiences in the child support system from start to finish.

    We asked women how they made various decisions about child support, such as when to apply for it and when to change how it is collected and calculated.

    Many women avoid chasing what’s owed to them for fear of retaliation from an ex-partner.
    rigsbyphoto/Shutterstock

    78% of women reported experiencing some form of violence at the time of separation.

    But the research also showed how the nature of this abuse can change post-separation, when financial abuse becomes the primary mechanism.

    Just over half the women reported currently experiencing either emotional or psychological abuse, and 60% financial abuse.

    Women shared they were often fearful of retaliation from their ex-partner if they applied or changed child support payment arrangements.

    I was advised not to apply at the time because of the family violence and he had made threats to kill me so [it] was recommended I didn’t give him any reason to act on this so I went without child support for some period of time.

    Others had to ask for an exemption to apply.

    A Centrelink social worker changed my son’s father to unknown so I wouldn’t be murdered.

    The results show how the current system’s logic can force women to risk their financial welfare to ensure their own safety.

    I withdrew my application to avoid further conflict by telling CSA [Child Support Agency] there was a private agreement but there isn’t and he doesn’t pay anything.

    Often, women are paying back debts to Centrelink due to retrospective changes in their ex-partner’s income or level of care, at the same time they themselves are owed thousands of dollars in child support arrears.

    I’ve at times been living on as little at $72 a week of FTB [Family Tax Benefit] as my sole income to feed, house, clothe and educate myself and two children. I don’t understand how that is possible.

    How could we fix it?

    Based on our findings, our report makes four recommendations that could bring about meaningful improvements, give women choices to suit their family, and create a system that is safe.

    1. De-link family payments from child support.

    2. Co-design family violence processes in the child support system.

    3. Move all payment collections back to being handled by the tax office.

    4. Make all payment debts owed to and enforced by the Commonwealth.

    Any meaningful solution to this problem will need to include the voices of victim survivors, advocates, researchers and social support organisations to co-design an effective system.

    The authors would like to acknowledge the assistance of Terese Edwards, chief executive of Single Mother Families Australia (SMFA), in the preparation of the report.

    Terese and SMFA provided in-kind support in the form of survey design feedback and recruitment assistance. Terese also contributed to writing the report.

    Kay Cook receives funding from the Australian Research Council in the form of a Discovery Project grant. She is Secretary of The Australian Sociological Association (TASA) and a Member of the federal Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee. She is the PhD supervisor of Terese Edwards, CEO of Single Mother Families Australia.

    Adrienne Byrt is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow on a Discovery Project funded by the Australian Research Council.

    Ashlea Coen’s research assistant position for this research was funded by Swinburne University of Technology.

    Marg Rogers received funding from the Commonwealth-funded Manna Institute for her Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2022-24.

    – ref. Australia’s child support system can put single mothers at risk of poverty and financial abuse – https://theconversation.com/australias-child-support-system-can-put-single-mothers-at-risk-of-poverty-and-financial-abuse-240917

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: £57 million paid to families to help with food shop

    Source: Scottish Government

    People urged to check and use Best Start Foods card  

    Families getting a Scottish benefit to help them buy healthy foods are being urged to check their balance on their prepaid card. 

    Best Start Foods, a payment of up to £42.40 every four weeks, helps eligible pregnant women, parents, families and carers with children under the age of three to buy healthy foods from a range of supermarkets, small shops and online stores.  

    Since its launch in 2019, over £57 million has been paid to over 86,000 parents and carers. 

    The majority of people say it is clear how to use the card, it has helped them to buy milk or healthy food and have been able to use it without any difficulty, according to a recent survey.  

    People that have not yet activated their card or don’t use it regularly could be missing out on money that can help pay for healthy foods. Social Security Scotland continue to contact those getting Best Start Foods via text message to alert them to balances available to spend on their cards.  

    People can apply for the payment as soon as they know they are pregnant, during pregnancy and up to when their child turns three.  

    The removal of income limits earlier this year also means even more people can now get the payment and are being urged to check if they are eligible.   

    Speaking at a visit Edinburgh Community Food during Challenge Poverty Week, Social Justice Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said:   

    “We are determined to eradicate child poverty and reduce health inequalities in Scotland and Best Start Foods, part of the five family payments, is part of a package to support this. 

    “We want to make sure people know about, and get, all the financial help they are entitled to. This is particularly relevant during the continuing cost of living crisis. 

    “I’m urging anyone who has a Best Start Foods card to look it out, make sure it’s activated and check the balance for money to help pay for their food shop.  

    “If cards are lost, or people are unsure of how to use them, support is available to help them use their card. The card works the same as any chip and pin card and can be used in many supermarkets, small shops and online.   

    “The Scottish Government removed income limits earlier this year, so I would also urge anyone who has not yet applied for Best Start Foods to check if they are eligible.” 

    Brenda Black, Chief Executive Officer at Edinburgh Community Food, added: 

    “Working together with Social Security Scotland and community partners we help mothers and (guardians) check their eligibility and to access their money through the handy Best Start Foods Pre-Paid Card providing a dignified way to spend their payment on healthier foods to enjoy with their growing family.  

    “Edinburgh Community Food plays a key role in supporting & nourishing futures for expecting mothers and their children. 

     “We are determined to use every creative way possible to support their access to nourishing food during the first 2001 days, which are crucial for every child’s growth and development.” 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Orkney ferry funding

    Source: Scottish Government

    Government support to help council replace fleet.

    Orkney Islands Council has secured £3 million Scottish Government funding for plans to replace its internal ferry fleet.

    The funding will help the local authority develop a planned pilot for two electric ferries and its business case for a replacement internal ferry fleet.

    The council plans to introduce eight new vessels to link communities and boost tourism. This includes three large ferries to serve the islands of Westray, Stronsay, Sanday and Eday with plans being drawn up for all of Orkney’s air and ferry-linked island communities. 

    The Orkney funding is on top of an additional £42 million provided in this year’s budget to support local authority ferry services across Scotland.

    Finance Secretary Shona Robison – who chairs the Orkney Internal Ferry Replacement Task Force – said:

    “This funding will enable Orkney Islands Council to take forward its business case to replace its internal ferry fleet. It will also help bring forward their pilot of electric ferries and I am grateful to Orkney Islands Council for its constructive engagement through this process. 

    “The Scottish Government is committed to working alongside Scotland’s island communities, to empower them to thrive. Since 2021-22 our Islands Programme has distributed more than £12 million to support 61 critical infrastructure projects on 50 islands.

    “We are also collaborating with islanders, local authorities and delivery partners to ensure that the new National islands Plan – which we expect to publish next year – meets their needs and supports their ambitions.”

    Orkney Islands Council Leader Heather Woodbridge said:

    “The engagement with the Scottish Government through the task force has been extremely constructive – and we very much welcome this funding announcement which puts us on a sure footing as we progress our work at pace on the final business case. 

    “This funding package is the first financial commitment in the collaborative approach that is being taken to replace Orkney’s ageing internal ferry fleet, with discussions continuing on the delivery of the next tranche of business case funding and the shape of the financial model that will allow us to provide a modern ferry fleet that our island communities need and deserve.”

    Background

    In May, First Minister John Swinney announced a £5 million package of support for island communities ahead of a new National Islands Plan publishing next year.

    The new Programme for Government commits the Scottish Government to the continuation of the Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund worth £1 million in 2024-25 and with an even stronger focus on child poverty. The fund helps local authorities support those islanders most affected by cost-of-living pressures.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/MOZAMBIQUE – President of the Episcopal Conference: “I hope that the elections will be free, fair and peaceful”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Consolataamerica

    Maputo (Agenzia Fides) – “We hope that the elections will be free and fair and, above all, peaceful,” said the President of the Episcopal Conference of Mozambique and Archbishop of Nampula, Inacio Saure, in an interview with Fides.Today, October 9, presidential and parliamentary elections will be held in the southern African country. No major surprises are expected; FRELIMO (National Liberation Front), in power since independence in 1975, is expected to win the election again this time.Mozambique, which emerged in 1992 from a civil war that broke out in 1975, has been facing jihadist militias in the province of Cabo Delgago, the northernmost province of the country, for several years (see Fides, 19/10/2022).We asked Archbishop Saure to analyze the situation in the country in the light of today’s election.What do you expect from today’s elections?First and foremost, I hope that the elections will be free and fair and, above all, peaceful. The preparations have been marked by some difficulties. We know that there have been delays and problems in registering on the electoral rolls, due to bureaucratic issues but perhaps also to other political problems. Let’s say there was no interest in certain people being registered on the electoral roll. There is also a certain fatigue and disappointment among voters, because the first free elections took place in 1994, 30 years ago, and since then elections have been accompanied by controversy and protests.The war in the north is attributed to the presence of at least one jihadist group. Isn’t this reading a little simplistic?We say it is the jihadists, but I don’t think they are the only reason for this war. There are the resources in the region, primarily gas, but not only: in Balama there are mines with strategic minerals such as graphite, which are crucial for new technologies and the energy transition. That is why we do not know exactly what the real cause of this war is. Is it just religious? I don’t think so. On the other hand, the conflict broke out more or less at the same time as the gas extraction began.You are the Archbishop of Nampula, which has welcomed several internally displaced persons from the war. Can you describe their situation?After Cabo Delgado, the provincial capital where the war is mainly taking place, Nampula is the province that has welcomed most of the refugees fleeing the violence. This is a challenge because Nampula is the most densely populated province in the country and the sudden influx of thousands of people has created problems for the structures in this area. At the beginning, when the first refugees arrived, several international organizations provided assistance. But then the assistance was greatly reduced. They increasingly forgot about us and the more than 6,000 refugees who were still housed in Nampula. Initially, there were as many as 8,000, but some have returned to Cabo Delgado, where there are still many displaced people from the surrounding villages affected by insecurity.As a Church, we are fully committed to helping these people through our diocesan and national Caritas. The problem is that we do not have sufficient resources, especially since international aid has almost disappeared.Is there a fear that the conflict in the north could spread to other areas of Mozambique?Much of Mozambique is at peace, but there is a fear that the instability in the north could spread to the rest of the country, which is exacerbated by great poverty, especially among unemployed youth, especially in the cities.The other big problem is widespread poverty…Yes, especially among young people. Many young people from the countryside have moved to the cities but have not found work there. This is, among other things, a major challenge at a pastoral level. The ideal would be to create vocational training opportunities for these people. However, the Church alone does not have the means to do this. During our last ad limina visit, Pope Francis also recommended not to forget young people and to provide them with training places. During our visit this year, I pointed out to the Holy Father the difficulties we have in supporting young people in vocational training because we, as the Mozambican Church, do not have the means to do so. We try to do what we can, but the means are really very limited.On the other hand, Catholic schools are very valued for the quality of their teaching. However, the State has increased taxes on our schools, making them equal to private companies. which in turn has put us in difficulties.How would you describe the situation of the Church in Mozambique in the face of these problems?It is a living Church. We have many vocations, the seminaries are full. This is truly a grace. Young people come to the Church in droves. Most of our priests are Mozambican. We even have some priests who go as missionaries to other African countries.In addition, the role of the laity is very important, because already in 1977 the National Pastoral Assembly decided to promote a Church of the laity. The catechists play an important role in this, especially in the villages where there is no permanent presence of a priest. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 9/10/2024)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: 5 kinds of American evangelicals and their voting patterns

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Richard Flory, Executive Director, Center for Religion and Civic Culture, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

    Evangelicals may share the same basic theology, but they are not a monolithic group. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

    Polls and analyses from journalists, scholars and even religious leaders often seem to assume that evangelicalism represents a singular religious and social identity. Former president and Republican nominee Donald Trump, who received 81% of the white evangelical vote in the 2016 election, is predicted to garner a majority share of this vote again in 2024.

    Yet, the reality is much more complex. In 2016, for example, evangelical leaders such as Jerry Falwell Jr. and Robert Jeffress celebrated Trump’s victory and evangelicalism’s role in bringing America back to God. Others – such as Russell Moore, currently editor of the evangelical magazine Christianity Today – saw Trump as the opposite of what evangelicalism represents.

    Led by prominent figures such as the late Jerry Falwell, contemporary evangelicalism emerged as a political force in the 1970s and 1980s and championed conservative religious values. Since then, evangelicals have been regarded as a uniform, monolithic group who are opposed to gay rights, abortion and more, and that they are a reliable conservative voting bloc.

    As a scholar of American religion who has studied the evangelical movement for over 30 years, I was dissatisfied with this interpretation. At University of Southern California’s Center for Religion and Civic Culture, we decided to bring together our collective research on evangelicalism to develop a broader template to understand the dynamics of American evangelicalism. The result was a report first published in 2018 that we continue to update.

    We have identified and described five varieties, or “types,” within the broader evangelical movement.

    Evangelicals and their beliefs

    At its core, evangelicalism is characterized by a belief in the literal truth of the Bible.

    For example, evangelicals believe that the world and humans were created by God; that Jesus was literally God’s son and also born as a human; that Jesus died and physically rose from the dead; and that God currently acts through humans to achieve his ends for humanity. A hallmark belief for evangelicals is having a “personal relationship with Jesus Christ” and a focus on encouraging others to be “born again” or “saved” through Jesus.

    Despite sharing the same basic theology, there are differences within evangelicalism politics and social engagement.

    We used three criteria to develop our five categories: First, each type shares a basic agreement on evangelical theology. Second, they each understand themselves as existing within the larger tradition of American evangelicalism. And third, their theology motivates how they act in the world, including appropriate social and political actions.

    Typologies simplify in order to explain, but they also can blur some of the finer distinctions between categories. Still, the perspectives these different varieties of evangelicals maintain shape not only who they will vote for but also why they vote a certain way.

    1. MAGA-vangelicals

    MAGA-vangelicals consist of the white Christian nationalist core of the “Make America Great Again” or MAGA, movement, with some Latino, Asian and Black American pastors aligning themselves with this movement.

    MAGA-vangelicals have been the most vocal and visible group of evangelicals since the 2016 election.

    The origins of this group trace back to the 1980s – the time of the emergence of the religious right. MAGA-vangelicals echo many of the same issues – such as opposition to abortion and LGBTQ+ rights and support for anti-immigration policies. One significant shift, however, since the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, is an increased acceptance of political violence. “Jan. 6 was not an insurrection,” evangelical leader Lance Wallnau has falsely asserted. “It was an election fraud intervention.” The baseless election fraud myth was the pretext for the violence on Jan. 6.

    2. Neo-fundamentalist evangelicals

    Neo-fundamentalists are evangelicals who are as theologically or politically conservative as MAGA-vangelicals but maintain a [theological commitment] to remain separate from any relationships – whether personal, social or political – that would, in their view, compromise the teachings of evangelical Christianity and their own identity as evangelical Christians.

    For example, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Albert Mohler and Christianity Today editor Russell Moore have opposed Trump due to his, by evangelical standards, lack of values and amoral lifestyle.

    The Rev. Russell Moore.
    AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File

    However, they support how the Trump administration furthered the political goals of evangelical Christianity. In particular, they support the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and supporting evangelicals’ religious freedom to discriminate against LGBTQ+ people in their businesses.

    Yet there has recently been some qualified support among neo-fundamentalists offered for Trump himself, despite their opposition to his personal morals. For example, Mohler has argued that Trump is the better candidate to achieve their goals in 2024, despite his personal shortcomings. Mohler takes the position, though, that this support largely depends on Trump remaining committed to evangelical goals on issues such as abortion.

    3. iVangelicals

    iVangelicals are evangelicals primarily focused on personal faith and the weekly worship experience in their churches. They are mainly concentrated in the evangelical megachurch movement.

    iVangelicals want to reach large numbers of people through their popular worship services, varied social programs and small group ministries.

    iVangelicals are particularly adept at borrowing and adapting elements of popular culture to provide a “relevant” church atmosphere.

    For example, most iVangelical megachurches include music that, other than the lyrics, is nearly indistinguishable from secular pop and rock bands, in both style and quality. Although they are generally conservative in their theology and politics, they tend to stay away from overtly political messages in their churches.

    There is, however, a range of beliefs and commitments among iVangelicals, with some being attracted to groups such as Evangelicals for Harris, a new effort to mobilize evangelicals to move away from Republicans, Trump and MAGA and to vote for Harris. Their approach uses biblical examples and references to argue that true Christian teachings and actions are more aligned with Democrats than Republicans.

    Evangelicals for Harris.

    4. Kingdom Christians

    Kingdom Christians are evangelicals who, in their churches and ministries, strive to mirror the demographic and socioeconomic mix of the neighborhoods where they are rooted.

    They tend to have a more diverse racial and ethnic mix of members than other evangelical churches. Their focus is to be a part of, and to serve, their local communities in a manner that mirrors their conception of the kingdom of God on Earth.

    Leaders among Kingdom Christians often critique the economic and political systems that produce poverty and racial injustice. The focus of their efforts, however, is on creating relationships with local businesses and activists in the local community and contributing to policy through engagement with local officials.

    Kingdom Christians are present-oriented; the kingdom of God is to be realized in the communities where believers live, as well as in some future spiritual world.

    5. Peace and Justice evangelicals

    Peace and Justice evangelicals are a loose network of pastors, nonprofit leaders, professors and activists. They are a small segment within evangelicalism often embedded in larger organizations, and they focus their work on key social and political issues such as racial justice, immigration reform and environmental issues. They seek to have a wider impact than just a focus on the local community.

    Peace and Justice evangelicals trace their origins to the late 1960s publication, The Other Side, originally Freedom Now, which represented a freshly emerging evangelical social consciousness around issues of racial justice. Following close behind was the Sojourners community, and Sojourners magazine, which is still active today.

    In 1973, a group of evangelical college professors wrote the Chicago Declaration of Social Concern, which ultimately led to the launch of Evangelicals for Social Action as a national organization in 1978.

    This is a small but growing minority in the larger evangelical world, with many belonging to traditional evangelical institutions. For example, Alexia Salvatierra, at Fuller Seminary, is a longtime “faith-rooted” community organizer and has more recently been instrumental in forming Matthew 25/Mateo25, a group that aids immigrants and “defends the vulnerable.” Shane Claiborne, a long-time urban activist, is currently head of Red Letter Christians, a movement that combines “Jesus and justice” and seeks to “live out Jesus’ counter-cultural teachings.”

    Several Christians work with organizations that help immigrants.
    AP Photo/Russell Contreras

    Evangelicals and the future

    Following historical evangelical voting patterns, it is likely that most white evangelicals will vote for Trump in 2024. I believe many will do so with enthusiasm, while others will vote for him because of his policies, while remaining troubled by his rhetoric.

    Of the evangelicals who oppose Trump, some will refuse to vote for either Trump or Harris, refusing to cast a vote for president. Others will vote for Harris, following the example of many Republican leaders who are seeking to move beyond the damage that Trump and the MAGA movement have done to the Republican Party and to conservatism.

    Meanwhile, for the Kingdom Christians and Peace and Justice evangelicals, the true values of evangelical Christianity will be supported by the more progressive policies of the Democratic Party.

    Regardless of how they vote in the 2024 election, evangelicals in all of these categories will continue to promote their distinct vision of evangelicalism and educate members on how they should bring their faith to bear on important social and political issues in American culture.

    Richard Flory has received funding from the John Templeton Foundation and the Lilly Endowment.

    – ref. 5 kinds of American evangelicals and their voting patterns – https://theconversation.com/5-kinds-of-american-evangelicals-and-their-voting-patterns-238470

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ‘Access to Food is a Human Right’: New Professor Focused on Childhood Food Insecurity

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Alexandria Forté’s professional story starts with her in a kitchen – blending, baking, and browning dishes both savory and sweet for customers to enjoy.

    In a job as a chef after finishing her undergraduate degree, she says she once thought that’s how she could be of service to others – stirring, slicing, sauteing for a community that wanted to be fed.

    “But it’s backbreaking work, very physically demanding, and I started to miss academic work,” she says. “Around this time, I also was doing some volunteer work and when I realized the person running that program had an MSW, I knew that was the direction I wanted to go.”

    Alexandria Forté, assistant professor in the UConn School of Social Work (Contributed photo)

    Fast-forward through time at the University of Denver for her Master of Social Work and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for her Ph.D., Forté is one of the newest faculty members at the UConn School of Social Work.

    And she hasn’t left food behind.

    While getting her MSW, she worked with youth who were living in subsidized housing and developed a curriculum around healthy eating. Then, she pivoted to work in a hospital, where she noted that many of her clients were impacted by food insecurity.

    “That’s when I started to ask why more social workers weren’t talking about this. Why isn’t social work at the table when it comes to food insecurity? Often, public health leads this conversation or other disciplines, but I wanted to be at the table on behalf of social work,” she says.

    Forté, an assistant professor, says she’s always thinking about how she can work food into her classroom discussions.

    “As an example, I’m teaching theory, and this week we’re going to be learning about feminism and queer theory,” she explains. “Food preparation is often seen as women’s work and with feminism, there was a desire for some women to leave the kitchen and pursue work outside of the home. In other sections, we’ve discussed how disparities in access to food can be due to systemic inequities. Using food access and how different identities engage with food makes these heady theories feel more tangible.”

    When it comes to her research, Forté is focused on the impact food insecurity has on one’s mental health, specifically for young people in middle and high school, and how that impact can be measured accurately.

    Children as young as 9 understand what food insecurity is and know whether they’re affected, she says, yet there hasn’t been much research exploring their experience. Most often, the head of the household is the one surveyed, even though teenagers oftentimes bear the burden too.

    “Children experience it differently,” she says. “They’re also trying to figure out how to bring food into the home, but from a different perspective, ‘Can I bring this pizza home from a club meeting, so my family can eat tonight?’ They may not be buying groceries, but they’re trying to get food into the home.”

    Many teenagers are charged with the care of siblings, especially if adults are working multiple jobs, she notes, and even though they’re not recognized as the head of the household, at times they serve in that capacity, having to figure out what to make for dinner, maybe even going hungry themselves when food is scarce.

    “We need to capture what they’re going through because it is different from adults,” Forté says. “Knowing what adults experience is important, but this 9- to about 17-year-old age range, when they’re in school, that’s what I’m interested in. If we can understand their experiences – what does it feel like to know you don’t have food in the home – we can be better at supporting their health and well-being.”

    And that may mean having a discussion about policy, another area in which she’s interested.

    UConn’s Husky Harvest initiative, which established food pantries on all campuses, and its Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health are two reasons Forté says she sought to come to Connecticut for work.

    “Those were a huge draw for me,” she says. “They demonstrate that this university sees how important it is for people to get access to food and, in policy, that’s where we’re going to see a lot of change. I believe that access to food is a human right.”

    Forté says that when she was in practice, she spent a fair amount of time connecting people with resources, sourcing the locations of pantries, food banks, and community refrigerators. Sometimes she’d go along with clients to teach them what they could do with a can of tomatoes, bag of beans, and box of rice.

    She’d teach them to salvage the seasoning packet from a package of ramen noodles to spice up the blandness of another dish.

    “The experience of poverty is not fun, but if you can take even just a moment and create a little bit of joy in cooking, it can become time when you experience a little pleasure in life,” she says.

    Read more about Forté and her research here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Despite progress on poverty, Mexico’s first female president inherits a shaky economy

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Nicolas Forsans, Professor of Management and Co-director of the Centre for Latin American & Caribbean Studies, University of Essex

    shutterstock Octavio Hoyos/Shutterstock

    Mexico’s first female president, leftwing academic and climate scientist Claudia Sheinbaum, has set out her agenda. She pledged to maintain the social policies of her mentor and predecessor, the widely popular former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador (commonly known by his initials, AMLO).

    She promised a transition to green energy, and set out the need for new infrastructure in railways, ports and airports. Sheinbaum inherits a US$1.79 trillion (£1.4 trillion) economy closely integrated to that of the US – in fact, Mexico has the second-largest economy in Latin America. It is also the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world with 128 million people.

    But Sheinbaum also inherits Mexico’s largest budget deficit since the 1980s.

    Despite social policies that have seen 9.5 million Mexicans lifted from poverty during AMLO’s six-year term, 36% of Mexicans are still poor and 7% live in extreme poverty. Access to health services remains problematic, and has worsened for those living in deprivation.

    Gross domestic product per capita, a measure of wealth, actually fell during the previous administration, which means the “average” Mexican is worse off now than at the start of AMLO’s presidency. And next year, the central bank estimates GDP will grow by only 1.2%, which will inevitably constrain Sheinbaum in her early years in office.

    While campaigning, she promised to continue the social and political policies of her predecessor. Now in office, she will not only grapple with the country’s security situation but also navigate serious economic and fiscal challenges.



    Read more:
    As Mexico’s new president takes office, a renewed battle to contain cartel violence begins

    In 2018, AMLO took office in a relatively stable fiscal environment. His predecessor, Enrique Peña Nieto, had implemented significant reforms early in his term aimed at reducing reliance on oil revenues and energy subsidies.

    Nieto also sought to strengthen the country’s two stabilisation funds. The Oil Revenue Stabilisation Fund is aimed at protecting Mexico’s budget from fluctuations in oil revenues. Meanwhile, the Budget Income Stabilisation Fund seeks to stabilise budget revenues from non-oil sources, such as taxes.

    These funds have been crucial for maintaining economic stability given the volatility of commodity prices, especially since oil has historically been a key contributor to Mexico’s public finances. However, under AMLO’s administration, both funds were used to plug gaps, leaving them depleted and raising concerns about the country’s ability to weather economic downturns. The country has not balanced its books since 2007.

    High energy subsidies introduced in 2019 are putting a strain on public finances. Driven by a commitment by AMLO to shield consumers from rising international oil prices, subsidies increased as a result of the COVID pandemic in 2020, and again in 2022 amid the war in Ukraine.

    The recent rise in social spending to fund universal state pensions, social programmes and debt servicing has created considerable strain, pushing the deficit close to 6% of GDP. Mexico’s debt-to-GDP ratio is 50% this year, up from its 2018 level.

    The tax issue

    In most countries, tax revenues are used to fund social investment. But Mexico’s ability to raise taxes has been extremely limited – tax revenues amount to just 17% of the country’s GDP, below the Latin American average of 22%, and well below that of countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) at 34%.

    Mexico has a large informal economy, with many workers and businesses not registered with tax authorities. Corruption, inefficiencies in tax administration and lack of trust in government institutions have led to low tax compliance, while efforts to increase taxes on the wealthy have met political resistance.

    Mexico has high levels of income inequality, and the wealthiest segments of society contribute relatively little to the overall tax revenue. Instead, the country had historically relied on oil revenues – which have declined – to fund public services and investment.

    AMLO had launched popular social programmes aimed at reducing poverty and inequalities. Now Sheinbaum has promised increased social spending while maintaining “fiscal responsibility” and not reforming tax (at least in her early presidency). That promise seems unrealistic. Without a change of approach, a fiscal crisis looms.

    However, she is expected to be a more pragmatic president than her predecessor. In part because she is less ideology-driven, but also because she won’t have a choice. If she wants to boost the economy and keep reducing poverty, she will need to attract foreign investment and encourage the private sector to play a much bigger role.

    Infrastructure will be a key focus, not least to ensure Mexico can benefit from the process of “near-shoring” – the relocation by multinationals of key processes away from Asia closer to the US market in order to minimise supply chain disruptions.

    Mexico stands to gain from the current desire by many companies to operate closer to the USA. As a result of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), and its predecessor Nafta (North American Free Trade Agreement), Mexico enjoys tariff-free trade with its northern neighbours.

    But the country has not fully benefited from those opportunities. It lacks a consolidated investment promotion strategy and needs to produce more energy, ensuring it is from cleaner sources.

    It’s expected that Sheinbaum will continue government efforts to lift disadvantaged Mexicans out of poverty.

    Companies keen to invest in Mexico need access to low-emission hydrocarbons, as well as renewable energy. But AMLO viewed oil as a key part of Mexico’s sovereignty, eradicating previous reforms that had opened up the energy sector to private companies and preventing private investment in renewable energy. Instead, public finances were used to prop up ailing state-owned oil monopoly Pemex and national electricity company CFE.

    Given the fiscal challenges Sheinbaum inherits, Mexicans can expect the private sector to play a much greater role in infrastructure investment and in making the green energy transition a reality.

    As mayor of Mexico City, she championed public-private partnerships (PPP) while promoting solar energy. But to entice factories from Asia, she will also have to weaken the grip of the criminal organisations which are believed to control as much as a third of Mexico.

    During her tenure as mayor she halved the number of murders in the capital. But attempting to replicate this success throughout the country will be no small undertaking.

    Nicolas Forsans does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Despite progress on poverty, Mexico’s first female president inherits a shaky economy – https://theconversation.com/despite-progress-on-poverty-mexicos-first-female-president-inherits-a-shaky-economy-240136

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ultra-processed foods: we have the technology to turn them from foe into friend

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By David Benton, Professor Emeritus (Human & Health Sciences), Medicine Health and Life Science, Swansea University

    Ultra-processed foods can be cheap, convenient and they usually taste good. PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Ultra-processed foods are the latest nutritional villains, associated with several diseases of the modern world, from obesity to heart disease. However, many nutritionists question whether the term “ultra-processed” does any more than create confusion. It only considers the way food is produced, ignoring other important factors like calories and nutrients.

    My work suggests that instead of being viewed as the problem, ultra-processed foods could actually be part of the solution. With advances in food science, we have the technology to create low-calorie, nutritious and affordable processed foods.

    There is no consensus about how ultra-processed foods should be defined. But a common approach was proposed by the nutrition and public health scholar, Carlos Monteiro. He coined the term about 15 years ago, defining foods that undergo significant industrial processing and often contain multiple added ingredients. In Portugal, ultra-processed food make up about 10% of the average diet, whereas in Germany it’s 46%, the UK 50% and in the US 76%.

    Ultra-processed foods three major advantages – they are cheap, convenient and they usually taste good. Their affordability in particular is an important factor.

    Producing food in bulk reduces costs. For instance, the Heinz factory in Wigan is the largest baked bean factory in the world. It produces 3 million cans of baked beans a day, ensuring they are widely available and affordable.

    In 1961, scientists in Chorleywood, Hertfordshire developed a new method for making bread. Today, more than 80% of loaves in Britain are produced this way. These loaves are softer, last longer and cost less than traditional bread.

    The affordability of ultra-processed food makes them a staple for many, particularly people on lower incomes. As around 30% of children in the UK live in poverty, calls to remove such foods from diets need to address how poorer families will be able to afford fresher and more nutritious food. Current ultra-processed foods may not offer a perfect diet, but they do provide calories when money is scarce.



    Read more:
    Ultra-processed foods: here’s what the evidence actually says about them

    Convenience is another notable benefit of ultra-processed food. Preparing meals from scratch can be time-consuming, involving buying ingredients, cooking and cleaning up afterwards. Ultra-processed foods offer a shortcut, saving valuable time. This is especially important for parents trying to balance jobs and family life. For those with busy lives who are working long hours, time is a luxury that ultra-processed food can help reclaim.

    Finally, ultra-processed foods are designed to be tasty. We’re genetically inclined to be attracted to sweet and fatty foods. Having a pleasant taste is one of the reasons we select our food.

    This convenience, affordability and taste come at a cost, however, as ultra-processed foods are often high in sugar, salt and saturated fats, while lacking in fruits, vegetables and essential nutrients.

    Are all ultra-processed foods bad for us?

    It’s not always clear if it’s the “ultra-processed” nature of these foods or their high calorie and low nutrient content that causes health issues. Nutrition is more complex than just considering how food is processed. We also need to consider calories, fibre, vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients.

    For example, while baked beans are considered ultra-processed, they’re also high in fibre – something often missing from UK diets – low in fat and calories, and a good source of plant-based protein.

    Inside the world’s largest baked bean factory in Wigan.

    Some studies suggest that many health problems linked to ultra-processed food, like obesity and diabetes, may be caused by excess calorie consumption rather than the processing itself. When people cut out ultra-processed foods, they often end up eating fewer calories, which could explain the health benefits they experience.

    The link between ultra-processed foods and poverty suggests that many of the health issues linked to ultra-processed food may be caused by factors associated with poverty itself. Poor nutrition is often just one part of a wider picture that includes limited access to healthcare, higher stress levels and fewer opportunities for physical activity – all of which can contribute to poor health.

    Can ultra-processing be used for good?

    Ultra-processing has been used to fortify foods in the UK for decades. For example, the Bread and Flour Regulations 1998 requires certain nutrients like calcium, iron, thiamine (vitamin B1) and niacin (vitamin B3) to be added to any non-wholemeal flour. This fortification plays an important role in public health, providing around 35% of calcium intake, 31% of iron and 31% of thiamine to the average UK diet. Without these added nutrients, the risk of deficiencies would rise.

    The UK government took a further step in 2022 by requiring folic acid be added to flour. It was a move aimed at preventing birth defects such as spina bifida, where a baby’s spine and spinal cord doesn’t develop properly in the womb, and anencephaly, where a baby is born without parts of the brain and skull.

    Breakfast cereals, often criticised for their sugar content, can also boost the intake of essential nutrients like vitamins B2, B12, folate and iron. Some experts would like to see mandatory food fortification be extended much further.

    Food scientists are exploring other ways to make ultra-processed foods healthier. One approach involves reducing sugar by making it taste sweeter more quickly, which means less sugar is needed to achieve the same taste.

    Another is using scientific techniques to increase the speed at which salt is released from food. Similarly, this results in it being tasted more quickly, leading to lower consumption.

    Other innovations to lower the calories in foods by changing the recipe include creating creamy, low-calorie sauces without dairy, or plant-based burgers that are virtually indistinguishable from their meat counterparts, but have fewer calories.

    These types of innovations show that ultra-processing doesn’t necessarily mean unhealthy and calorie-dense food – it’s about the choices made in production. If scientists focus on creating affordable, nutritious ultra-processed foods, they could become part of the solution to the obesity crisis, rather than the enemy.

    I have never had funding that has anything to do with ultra-processed foods. However, I have worked on other aspects of nutrition and have worked with the likes of Novartis, Danone, Yakult, Beneo and Pepisco. Much of my work has been on micro-nutrients or the glycaemic response to carbohydrate. 

    – ref. Ultra-processed foods: we have the technology to turn them from foe into friend – https://theconversation.com/ultra-processed-foods-we-have-the-technology-to-turn-them-from-foe-into-friend-239683

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: SNP must match words with actions on progressive tax and budget

    Source: Scottish Greens

    09 Oct 2024 Finance

    Scotland needs progressive change.

    More in Finance

    The SNP must match the commitments it made in Parliament today with actions, says Scottish Greens finance spokesperson, Ross Greer MSP.

    Mr Greer’s comments followed SNP support for his motion calling on the Scottish Government to explore all avenues to fiscal sustainability, including further use of existing tax powers, reviewing tax reliefs and other subsidies for big business, new powers for councils such as a levy on polluting cruise ships and to ensure that spending does not go towards programmes which undermine the core missions of tackling child poverty and the climate emergency.

    Speaking after the vote, Mr Greer said:

    “The next Scottish budget must protect people and planet from Westminster’s cuts. That means raising money from the likes of supermarkets and private jet users and using it to protect the public services we all rely on.

    “I welcome the SNP’s support for my motion, but they must now match words with actions. If this is a budget which makes Scotland a fairer and greener place, it will have the Scottish Greens support. We are far from that point though. We are still hugely concerned by the SNP’s recent decisions to reinstate the peak rail fares, previously suspended by the Greens, to cut funding for nature projects and to drop the commitment to expand free school meals for all P6 and P7 pupils.

    “The Scottish Government does not have all the powers it needs, but it is far from powerless. This is a question of priorities. Will the SNP continue to give handouts to big businesses and elite landowners, or will they use that money to lift children out of poverty? Will they pour billions of pounds into polluting road building projects, or redirect it into helping people to insulate their homes and improve our railways?

    “If the government is prepared to work constructively with us, the Scottish Greens are prepared to negotiate in good faith to deliver a budget which builds the fairer, greener Scotland we know is still possible.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scottish Greens welcome Government U-turn on free bus travel for people seeking asylum

    Source: Scottish Greens

    09 Oct 2024 Transport

    Free bus travel is a small but significant step towards supporting marginalised communities across Scotland.

    More in Transport

    The Scottish Greens have welcomed Government support for their motion to restore the commitment for free bus travel for people seeking asylum in Scotland.

    The policy was originally secured by Scottish Greens in October 2023 as part of the Bute House Agreement which brought the party into government, but was dropped by the Scottish Government in August 2024.

    Many people seeking asylum are living in state-sanctioned poverty. Free bus travel provisions would give them greater safety and security and mean they no longer have to choose between safe transportation or a weekly shop.

    Scottish Greens transport spokesperson Mark Ruskell MSP said:

    “We welcome the Scottish Government’s U-turn to reinstate free bus travel for people seeking asylum across our country. The policy should never have been dropped in the first place, and we were deeply disappointed when it was.

    “There must be more than just words from the Government on this issue, and a plan of action must follow to lay out the schedule before the end of the current parliamentary session, as well as ensuring the funding is allocated and guaranteed.

    “People within the asylum system face huge financial restrictions and many are banned from working whilst waiting for the Home Office to make a decision on their application for protection.

    “Making journeys to appointments, to see family or to explore our country is something many of us take for granted, but for those seeking protection it often becomes a much more complex choice. 

    “This is a small but significant change that will improve the lives of some of the most marginalized communities in Scotland, and we will work with refugee charities and the government to ensure that what is agreed upon is delivered.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: New Zealand’s BMI threshold for publicly funded fertility treatment is outdated and unethical. Here’s why it should go

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carina Truyts, Associate Research Fellow (Deakin) and Research Officer, Monash University

    Getty Images

    Women seeking publicly funded fertility treatment in New Zealand must have a body mass index (BMI) under 32, according to clinical priority assessment criteria for access to assisted reproductive technology.

    But as our in-depth interviews and a growing body of evidence show, this approach is outdated and unethical.

    One of our study participants described the system as “completely rigged if you’re a fat person”. Nina, a 37-year-old dance teacher, was denied public funding support to help her conceive because her BMI was above 32 – even though the cause of infertility was her husband’s sperm count.

    Nina is not alone. Paratta, who moved to Aotearoa from Sri Lanka in 2009, was also denied because of her BMI. She raced to lose the required weight in spite of a medical condition, but was then denied again because she had reached 40, the age limit for access to public funding.

    Both women’s experiences highlight New Zealand’s obsolete and discriminating BMI limit. The United Kingdom does not include BMI as a criterion for public funding, and international cutoffs are generally between 35 and 45.

    We argue New Zealand’s BMI threshold must be scrapped to reflect impactful research and respond ethically to New Zealand’s diverse population.

    BMI and fertility

    One in six people worldwide are affected by infertility, according to the World Health Organization’s most recent estimate. They suffer severe social and psychological consequences.

    There are numerous factors that can affect fertility, and obesity is certainly one of them, impacting 6% of women who have never been pregnant.

    But the BMI is an outdated method of assessing this risk. It doesn’t measure body fat percentage, distribution or differences across populations.

    Our study participants have raised concerns about the BMI limit. International and local studies concur with them. Research shows Polynesians are much leaner than Europeans at significantly higher BMIs, meaning Māori and Pacific women are disadvantaged before they even step into the clinic.

    Quick weight loss unlikely to help

    In New Zealand, people seeking public support are told that “making lifestyle changes like quitting smoking or losing weight” could help them become eligible. They are given a stand-down period wherein they must lose the requisite weight before referrals.

    As in Paratta’s case, this can lead to a race to lose weight before the inflexible age limit of 40 is reached. Evidence-based research advises that fertility care should balance the risk of age-related fertility decline with weight-loss advice.

    Nina rejected the advice to lose weight. She was concerned that quick weight loss would require unhealthy practices that could affect her success rate during the embryo transfer.

    Lifestyle changes made within a short time before conception don’t improve outcomes.
    Getty Images

    At the Australia and New Zealand Fertility Association’s annual conference last month, US obstetrician Kurt Barnhart confirmed that lifestyle interventions made weeks or months before conception are unlikely to improve outcomes. They may even cause harm.

    He discussed the FIT—PLESE randomised control study, which compared two groups of infertile women. One underwent a targeted weight-loss program and another exercised but did not lose weight. The results showed no statistically significant difference between the groups’ fertility and live-birth rates. These findings suggest the stand-down period should be revised.

    Barnhart also highlighted that weight loss through lifestyle changes can be practically impossible given obesity is often linked to endocrine issues that have nothing to do with choice. He observed signals that the medical community is changing its views on obesity as a “lifestyle” choice – a welcome shift.

    BMI, lifestyle and ethics

    Social science research has long challenged a colonial and biomedical habit of imposing standards on women whose bodies do not conform to Western ideas of a healthy or ideal body.

    Historically, the emphasis on weight as a criterion for reproductive health echoes harmful eugenicist beliefs. As US science historian Arleen Tuchman writes, the discovery of insulin prompted some groups to recommended banning marriages for people with diabetes to prevent the “unfit” from reproducing. New Zealand’s BMI criteria similarly suggest only those who fit specific physical standards deserve access to fertility care.

    The idea that lifestyle and health are straightforward individual choices is also challenged by research in epigenetics and philosophy. Obesity is often linked with poverty, which in turn is linked to broader social and living environments, including access and income.

    The high economic burden of obesity has led biomedical experts to recommended obese people should be considered for particular support, given the prohibitive cost of assisted reproductive technologies.

    Nina exercises more than eight hours a week and Paratta leads an active lifestyle. For both women, behavioural advice – and the stigma and assumptions it underscores – is offensive.

    Weight-loss advice can be particularly culturally offensive for Māori and Pacific peoples, who may be stigmatised in clinic settings for being too “fat” but considered “skinny” in their communities if they lose the required weight.

    New Zealand’s assessment criteria for publicly funded fertility treatment have not been updated in 27 years. While infertility and health risks associated with obesity during pregnancy and at birth should not be ignored, research shows these risks can be managed effectively and with empathy through a transdisciplinary approach.

    The Australian state of Victoria now offers two free cycles of fertility treatment to any Medicare-holding woman, regardless of BMI, up to the age of 42. The program deliberately reaches out to specific groups whose ethnicity, sexuality and environment limit their access. It has been highly successful and should inspire New Zealand to approach fertility funding with fresh perspectives.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. New Zealand’s BMI threshold for publicly funded fertility treatment is outdated and unethical. Here’s why it should go – https://theconversation.com/new-zealands-bmi-threshold-for-publicly-funded-fertility-treatment-is-outdated-and-unethical-heres-why-it-should-go-240295

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Canadian urban mobility is woefully lacking, but building a better future is still possible

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Betsy Donald, Professor, Department of Geography and Planning, Queen’s University, Ontario

    Canadian cities are falling behind globally when it comes to efficiently moving people. Long commute times, high congestion rates and infrastructure that is vulnerable to climate change are symptoms of a mobility crisis.

    Mobility is an essential public good, and modern policies aim to move people in a safe, efficient, accessible and non-polluting way. However, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed and worsened existing vulnerabilities in Canada’s urban mobility systems, undermining progress toward these goals.

    Our new book, Urban Mobility: How the iPhone, COVID, and Climate Changed Everything, explores how technology, the pandemic and climate change have shaped, and continue to shape, urban mobility, particularly for those with inadequate transportation networks.

    Population growth outpacing transit

    One of the primary challenges Canadian cities face is that they have grown faster than their sustainable transportation options. While urban populations have expanded, investment in public transportation has not kept pace, resulting in a gap between capacity and potential.

    The COVID-19 pandemic also impacted city life in profound ways, and urban life and economies in Canada are still being affected to this day. Remote work became the norm for many, reducing the number of people commuting and causing a significant drop in public transit ridership.

    Additionally, the shift to hybrid work has permanently altered how Canadians engage with their cities. People are shopping online more, using public transit less, and central business districts and physical retail spaces are seeing less foot traffic.

    Urban economies, which have been designed to rely heavily on the movement and presence of large numbers of people through public transit and local businesses, are still grappling with this new reality. Activity levels, for instance, are down by about 20 per cent from pre-pandemic levels in many downtown spaces still.

    Tech platforms and mobility

    Digital platform firms like Zoom, Uber, Amazon and Instacart adapted quickly during the pandemic, offering safe work-from-home options, private transportation and online shopping services to people. These platforms disrupted the traditional urban economic model, which relies on transit, physical stores and foot traffic.

    Ride-hailing services drew passengers and their fares away from local economies into foreign-owned ride-hailing companies. Transit systems not only depend on the massive built public infrastructure, but also passenger fares and other government funding to maintain the public system over time.

    In addition, these tech platform companies come with equity and accessibility concerns. Research on the use of ride-hailing and public transit during the pandemic found that its usage in Toronto was clearly organized along class, neighbourhood and social lines. People identifying as one or more of the following were more likely to continue riding transit during the pandemic: low-income, immigrant, racialized, essential workers and car-less, in large part because other options were not available to them.

    Similarly, in Calgary, private technology experiments in electric scooters privileged wealthier neighbourhoods. Electric scooters were used more in wealthier neighbourhoods, and as poverty levels increased at the neighbourhood level, the use of them dropped. The researchers concluded that greater attention needs to be paid to ensuring all communities, regardless of economic status, have access to micro-mobility options.

    Canada has a history of importing technological solutions, rather than creating its own. Montréal, however, offers a successful example with its Bixi bike program, the third largest bike share system in North America after New York and Chicago, with 11,000 bikes and almost 900 stations. A non-profit runs the program, Rio Tinto Alcan provides aluminum for the bikes and Cycles Devinci manufactures them in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean.

    Canadian cities need to build innovation opportunities that promote economic development and improve mobility at the same time. Canada’s technology sector is woefully undersupported at present.

    Bixi bikes stand on Sainte-Catherine Street in Montréal in August 2019. The City of Montréal bought the bike sharing system in 2014 and created a non-profit entity to run the bike sharing operations.
    (Shutterstock)

    Climate crisis intensifying challenges

    The third, and perhaps most pressing challenge facing Canadian cities is the growing climate crisis. Cities are both instigators and victims of climate change. They contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, but are also heavily impacted by severe weather events, heat waves and other side effects.

    These impacts are becoming increasingly concerning with the intensification of wildfires, urban flooding and other extreme weather events.

    By the end of the 20th century, most large Canadian cities were heavily investing in strategies to encourage people to use alternatives to cars, such as transit, light rail, biking and walking.

    However, shifting priorities, ideologies and budgetary adjustments led to government cutbacks to transit funding and a lack of new transportation innovation. In Ontario, for example, the government continues to push unrealistic road-building ideas at the expense of more active transit options.

    This failure to effectively move people around has left an opening for new mobility experiments led by private companies, but some of these programs don’t really integrate well into the Canadian urban mobility ecosystem. Many of these mobility options — such as ride-hailing — are also costly and exclusive. Others, like electronic scooters, can lead to e-waste.

    Building a better future

    The disruptions caused by technology, the pandemic and climate change are reshaping how people and goods move in cities. To build a better future, Canadian cities must address the interconnected challenges of three transitions: digital, health and environmental.

    While all sectors need to invest, strong leadership and policy action from governments at all levels is needed to create a more climate-friendly, economically vibrant and equitable urban mobility future. Governments will need to embrace bold, innovative solutions that address all three of these challenges.

    This means policy frameworks that reduce carbon emissions through climate action plans, leveraging political will and funding in efforts to shift away from private automobiles and toward transit, bike lanes and pedestrian pathways, and experimenting with digital mobility services while still prioritizing sustainability.

    Betsy Donald receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    Shauna Brail receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. Canadian urban mobility is woefully lacking, but building a better future is still possible – https://theconversation.com/canadian-urban-mobility-is-woefully-lacking-but-building-a-better-future-is-still-possible-239679

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Reimagining Poverty Solutions – seeking new ways to connect politics, measurement, and policy action in Latin America and the Caribbean

    Source: CAF Development Bank of Latin America

    Reintroducing Poverty to the Forefront of Public Debate  

    Reducing poverty requires a strong political commitment from all sectors of society. To accelerate progress, it is imperative to re-establish poverty as a central issue in public debate. In recent years, the focus on poverty has been overshadowed by a series of severe crises affecting the region. Beyond the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the escalating climate crisis, with massive fires in areas like the Amazon and the Chaco, and increased flooding in other regions, has had a devastating effect. Governance crises have also emerged, including in countries that traditionally excelled in economic growth and poverty reduction, such as Chile. Moreover, migration crises, once primarily directed towards the United States, have now developed an intraregional dimension, imposing pressure on public expenditure and, at times, leading to conflicts within recipient communities. Violence has spread to previously peaceful countries, with organized crime posing an ever-greater threat. These crises have diverted attention away from the poverty debate, even though poverty remains a fundamental factor in each of these challenges. 

    Public discourse should stimulate action and encourage a more ambitious discussion on the determinants of poverty and their policy implications. Key determinants such as high inequality, sluggish economic growth, environmental degradation, entrenched power structures, inadequate social protection systems, ineffective governance, a fragile rule of law, an unfavorable business environment, low female labor force participation, informality, crime and violence, and a lack of innovation, have all been identified as determinants of poverty in the region (UNDP, 2021; IMF, 2024; CODS, 2020). A comprehensive debate is needed to distil the most critical aspects and understand their interconnections to optimize efforts towards achieving sustainable development and equitable growth. 

    Furthermore, public debate is essential concerning the data needed to make meaningful progress in poverty reduction. While the availability of data in the region has improved, there remain issues related to periodicity, potential for disaggregation, and gaps in crucial topics. For example, the inability to link data on crime and violence with poverty data hampers a comprehensive understanding of these phenomena. Thus, a rigorous debate on where to channel limited resources for data collection is vital to generate robust data that can effectively guide policy decisions. 

    New Instruments for Poverty Reduction 

    As previously highlighted, economic growth and the widespread implementation of conditional cash transfer programs have played a pivotal role in reducing income poverty across the region in recent decades. However, from 2015 onwards, the pace of poverty reduction began to slow due to declining growth rates, a trend further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Three years after the crisis, income poverty levels in the region are only now returning to pre-pandemic figures (The World Bank, 2023). Yet, economic growth—and consequently, the fiscal capacity to fund poverty reduction initiatives—remains constrained, with regional GDP projected to expand by merely 1.6% in 2024, 2.7% in 2025, and 2.6% in 2026, rates insufficient to generate widespread prosperity (The World Bank, 2024). 

    Given this, the principal mechanisms that drove poverty reduction in previous years must be supplemented with innovative tools capable of maximizing poverty alleviation within a restricted fiscal environment. Aspects such as strategic planning, effective coordination, rigorous monitoring, and efficient expenditure will become increasingly crucial in the coming years. The region must foster innovation and develop a new generation of poverty reduction strategies and instruments that can effectively complement the existing frameworks. 

    Strengthening the Integration of Poverty Reduction Strategies with National Policies 

    In many cases, significant national policies that have a direct impact on poverty are formulated and implemented without a clear analysis or identification of their connections to the country’s poverty reduction strategy. Policies in areas such as energy, productivity, private sector development, and environmental or climate change often have profound implications for poverty alleviation. However, these policies are frequently designed with sector-specific objectives and within a growth-oriented framework, rather than with a focus on poverty reduction. Strengthening these connections can facilitate valuable cross-fertilization between different policy agendas, thereby accelerating efforts to reduce poverty. 

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Canadian urban mobility is woefully lacking, but building a better future is still possible

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Betsy Donald, Professor, Department of Geography and Planning, Queen’s University, Ontario

    Canadian cities are falling behind globally when it comes to efficiently moving people. Long commute times, high congestion rates and infrastructure that is vulnerable to climate change are symptoms of a mobility crisis.

    Mobility is an essential public good, and modern policies aim to move people in a safe, efficient, accessible and non-polluting way. However, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed and worsened existing vulnerabilities in Canada’s urban mobility systems, undermining progress toward these goals.

    Our new book, Urban Mobility: How the iPhone, COVID, and Climate Changed Everything, explores how technology, the pandemic and climate change have shaped, and continue to shape, urban mobility, particularly for those with inadequate transportation networks.

    Population growth outpacing transit

    One of the primary challenges Canadian cities face is that they have grown faster than their sustainable transportation options. While urban populations have expanded, investment in public transportation has not kept pace, resulting in a gap between capacity and potential.

    The COVID-19 pandemic also impacted city life in profound ways, and urban life and economies in Canada are still being affected to this day. Remote work became the norm for many, reducing the number of people commuting and causing a significant drop in public transit ridership.

    Additionally, the shift to hybrid work has permanently altered how Canadians engage with their cities. People are shopping online more, using public transit less, and central business districts and physical retail spaces are seeing less foot traffic.

    Urban economies, which have been designed to rely heavily on the movement and presence of large numbers of people through public transit and local businesses, are still grappling with this new reality. Activity levels, for instance, are down by about 20 per cent from pre-pandemic levels in many downtown spaces still.

    Tech platforms and mobility

    Digital platform firms like Zoom, Uber, Amazon and Instacart adapted quickly during the pandemic, offering safe work-from-home options, private transportation and online shopping services to people. These platforms disrupted the traditional urban economic model, which relies on transit, physical stores and foot traffic.

    Ride-hailing services drew passengers and their fares away from local economies into foreign-owned ride-hailing companies. Transit systems not only depend on the massive built public infrastructure, but also passenger fares and other government funding to maintain the public system over time.

    In addition, these tech platform companies come with equity and accessibility concerns. Research on the use of ride-hailing and public transit during the pandemic found that its usage in Toronto was clearly organized along class, neighbourhood and social lines. People identifying as one or more of the following were more likely to continue riding transit during the pandemic: low-income, immigrant, racialized, essential workers and car-less, in large part because other options were not available to them.

    Similarly, in Calgary, private technology experiments in electric scooters privileged wealthier neighbourhoods. Electric scooters were used more in wealthier neighbourhoods, and as poverty levels increased at the neighbourhood level, the use of them dropped. The researchers concluded that greater attention needs to be paid to ensuring all communities, regardless of economic status, have access to micro-mobility options.

    Canada has a history of importing technological solutions, rather than creating its own. Montréal, however, offers a successful example with its Bixi bike program, the third largest bike share system in North America after New York and Chicago, with 11,000 bikes and almost 900 stations. A non-profit runs the program, Rio Tinto Alcan provides aluminum for the bikes and Cycles Devinci manufactures them in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean.

    Canadian cities need to build innovation opportunities that promote economic development and improve mobility at the same time. Canada’s technology sector is woefully undersupported at present.

    Bixi bikes stand on Sainte-Catherine Street in Montréal in August 2019. The City of Montréal bought the bike sharing system in 2014 and created a non-profit entity to run the bike sharing operations.
    (Shutterstock)

    Climate crisis intensifying challenges

    The third, and perhaps most pressing challenge facing Canadian cities is the growing climate crisis. Cities are both instigators and victims of climate change. They contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, but are also heavily impacted by severe weather events, heat waves and other side effects.

    These impacts are becoming increasingly concerning with the intensification of wildfires, urban flooding and other extreme weather events.

    By the end of the 20th century, most large Canadian cities were heavily investing in strategies to encourage people to use alternatives to cars, such as transit, light rail, biking and walking.

    However, shifting priorities, ideologies and budgetary adjustments led to government cutbacks to transit funding and a lack of new transportation innovation. In Ontario, for example, the government continues to push unrealistic road-building ideas at the expense of more active transit options.

    This failure to effectively move people around has left an opening for new mobility experiments led by private companies, but some of these programs don’t really integrate well into the Canadian urban mobility ecosystem. Many of these mobility options — such as ride-hailing — are also costly and exclusive. Others, like electronic scooters, can lead to e-waste.

    Building a better future

    The disruptions caused by technology, the pandemic and climate change are reshaping how people and goods move in cities. To build a better future, Canadian cities must address the interconnected challenges of three transitions: digital, health and environmental.

    While all sectors need to invest, strong leadership and policy action from governments at all levels is needed to create a more climate-friendly, economically vibrant and equitable urban mobility future. Governments will need to embrace bold, innovative solutions that address all three of these challenges.

    This means policy frameworks that reduce carbon emissions through climate action plans, leveraging political will and funding in efforts to shift away from private automobiles and toward transit, bike lanes and pedestrian pathways, and experimenting with digital mobility services while still prioritizing sustainability.

    Betsy Donald receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    Shauna Brail receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. Canadian urban mobility is woefully lacking, but building a better future is still possible – https://theconversation.com/canadian-urban-mobility-is-woefully-lacking-but-building-a-better-future-is-still-possible-239679

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Is sustainable development possible? Only if we take a unified approach

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Davide Elmo, Professor, Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering, University of British Columbia

    With this year’s annual United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP29) summit set to take place in a little over a month in Azerbaijan, the world’s attention once again turns to climate change, resource security and the goals of sustainable development.

    The aims of sustainable development are to build a system that meets the needs of society without compromising the ability of future generations to fulfil their own. The UN adopted 17 sustainable development goals in 2015 and real progress has been made in advancing some of them. But can true sustainable development be achieved, and how might it work in practice?

    I am an engineer with experience in mining and geotechnics. To help answer these questions, I have been researching the interplay between sustainability challenges in the natural resource sector, the evolving concept of the circular economy and the implications of economic models founded upon sustained growth.



    Read more:
    Mining the depths: Norway’s deep-sea exploitation could put it in environmental and legal murky waters

    Striking a balance between resource extraction and environmental sustainability is essential for the continued existence of human societies and the risks of biodiversity loss must be accounted for in all resource extraction activities. At the same time, the need to protect the rights of all people — including Indigenous rights — remains paramount.

    To help better understand the nuances of sustainable development, in my forthcoming research I propose a model of the impact(s) of human activities on the Earth’s planetary boundaries, which I refer to as the (un)sustainable machine.

    Sustainable mining requires looking at the practices required to ensure long-term economic development remains in equilibrium with environmental and social considerations. The (un)sustainable machine model describes the delicate balancing acts at play, highlighting the intricate relationship between what drives minerals demand and consumption and how these forces impact Earth’s planetary boundary.

    (Un)sustainable development

    While progress may be being made in some areas of sustainable development — particularly around areas of poverty and malnutrition — as a planetary system, the report is much less positive. Take, for example, the issue of recycling.

    Can recycling keep up with increased demand and counter resource extraction? Over 3.3 billion tonnes of metals are produced globally each year, and most demand predictions show rising consumption of metals in the coming decades.

    Models developed by the World Bank indicate that by 2050, secondary supply (recycling) for aluminum, copper and nickel could meet about 60 per cent of the demand. Despite the enthusiasm among researchers and economists, however, these long-term projections indicate the difficulty of transitioning to a circular economy. Indeed, these predictions show that a 40 per cent unmatched demand must continue being supplied by primary sources like mining.



    Read more:
    Slow mining could be a solution to overconsumption in an increasingly fast-paced world

    In my model, recycling is represented as a set of springs resisting the extraction of additional mineral resources. To achieve 100 per cent recycling of the entire spectrum of the mineral resources, our economy needs to solve problems that are not achievable with today’s technology. Furthermore, when developed on an industrial scale, recycling plants raise some of the same environmental challenges of large mineral processing and smelting plants.

    Amidst this backdrop, the circular economy has presented itself as a transformative solution predicated on keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems. It challenges the linear extract-produce-dispose approach and questions the sustainability of perpetual economic growth, especially in a world with finite resources and known environmental constraints. Analogous to the (un)sustainable machine model, I also propose the model of the (un)sustainable cone of demand and consumption.

    The (un)sustainable cone model highlights the discrepancy between an economic concept based on the idea of a closed-loop system (circular economy) and the current financial framework based on the idea that infinite growth is possible. The larger the unbalanced cross-sectional area of the (un)sustainable cone of demand and consumption, the larger the stresses imposed upon Earth’s planetary boundaries.

    A different path?

    To remain within Earth’s planetary boundaries requires solutions beyond simple technical means. Actions by a few individuals are not sufficient. As engineers, we often believe it is possible to develop solutions to mitigate the anthropogenic impacts on Earth’s planetary boundaries. However, by doing so, we fail to realize that finite barriers to growth remain and that our engineering solutions may in time become part of the problem.



    Read more:
    GDP is not enough to measure a country’s development. What if we used the Sustainable Development Goals instead?

    It is essential for individuals who are not economists or environmental scientists to think about the meaning of sustainability in the context of extracting mineral resources. At the same time, economists and social-environmental scientists need to recognize that when it comes to mineral resources, policies and permitting regulations should not be addressed separately from the technical and economic aspects of mining engineering problems.

    To paraphrase the work of eminent American social scientist Garrett Hardin:

    Therein is the tragedy. Each financial market is locked into a system that compels it to increase its value without limit – in a world with finite resources. Earth’s ruin is the destination toward which all companies rush, each pursuing its own best interest in a market that (only) believes in the benefits of the shareholders.

    Simply put, while both policy and technology are necessary to achieve true sustainability, unless our efforts are unified across discipline and economies, there is little hope for staying within the finite bounds of what our planet can provide.

    Davide Elmo receives funding from NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada) and MITACS

    – ref. Is sustainable development possible? Only if we take a unified approach – https://theconversation.com/is-sustainable-development-possible-only-if-we-take-a-unified-approach-237438

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Harris proposes that Medicare cover more in-home health care, filling a large gap for older Americans and their caregivers

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jane Tavares, Senior Research Fellow and Lecturer of Gerontology, LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston, UMass Boston

    Vice President Kamala Harris’ proposal would allow Medicare to expand its coverage of home health care aides for older Americans. FredFroese/E+ via Getty Images

    Vice President Kamala Harris outlined a proposal to allow Medicare to expand its coverage of home health care for older Americans. The Democratic presidential nominee announced this plan on the television talk show “The View.”

    Harris explained that she aimed to take the burden off members of the “sandwich generation,” who are taking care of their kids and aging parents at the same time. She said the cost of this additional paid care could be paid for with the money the government will save by negotiating with pharmaceutical companies to reduce what Medicare pays for prescription drugs.

    The Conversation U.S. asked Jane Tavares and Marc Cohen, scholars of long-term care, to assess what’s known so far about the plan.

    Why is long-term care significant?

    Long-term services and supports are one of the most significant expenses for older adults. They range from nonmedical assistance with food preparation, bathing, dressing and other activities of daily living to medical care in a skilled nursing facility.

    Today’s 65-year-olds have a 70% chance of eventually needing some kind of long-term care as they age, and 20% will need long-term care for more than five years.

    The costs associated with even one year of long-term care can prove to be unaffordable for most people. In 2023, the median yearly cost of a private room in a nursing home was US$116,796 and that of a home health care aide was $33 per hour. That’s $96,360 yearly for eight hours of daily in-home care.

    The National Council on Aging has found that 80% of older adults would be unable to absorb a financial shock — such as the need for long-term care — without impoverishing themselves. The council noted that 20% of older adults had no assets at all, and another 60% would not be able to afford more than two years of either nursing home care or care in their own homes. The average length of a long-term care stay is just over three years.

    Medicare currently does not cover any long-term care, but it does cover short-term professional in-home care for recovery after a qualifying illness or injury for up to 21 days and a maximum of 100 days in a skilled nursing facility after a qualifying hospital stay.

    Medicaid currently covers about 61% of the country’s total long-term care costs, over 70% of which are for home-based services. However, Medicaid has strict income and asset eligibility requirements. Although Medicaid eligibility and coverage vary by state, those who qualify for the program are at or near the federal poverty level and have less than $2,000 in individual assets, or $3,000 as a couple.

    Only 15% of Americans who were 65 and older were covered by Medicaid as of 2022.

    Adding to the challenge, there is a shortage of long-term care workers. In 2022, about 700,000 people were on Medicaid waitlists for home- and community-based services, and 10% of those with skilled medical needs were waiting in hospitals for spots to open in nursing homes.

    What would be the impact of increasing the number of older people getting care?

    An estimated 77% of older Americans desire to stay in their homes as they age, but 1 in 5 need assistance with activities of daily living. With the high costs of long-term care and few coverage options, unpaid family caregivers typically provide this care.

    Expanding Medicare coverage to include professional in-home long-term care, as Harris proposes, would make it easier for older adults to stay in their homes without impoverishing themselves. It could also help alleviate burdens born by unpaid family caregivers.

    Although it will depend on details that weren’t immediately available, expanding long-term care coverage beyond the people who are enrolled in Medicaid has the potential to help many vulnerable older adults.

    For example, getting professional assistance with eating or bathing could prevent health complications associated with malnutrition or poor hygiene. And this care would not be at the expense of a family caregiver who might otherwise have to leave their job or take on additional physical and mental stress to provide that care.

    How much will this cost the government?

    Clearly, the costs associated with any new program depend on many factors. The most important are who qualifies for the program, the circumstances under which they can get benefits, and how generous those benefits are.

    Harris has indicated that the new Medicare home care benefit she’s proposing would be paid for by the savings from reductions in Medicare drug costs. A relatively recent estimate for that savings in 2026 is $6.3 billion. If this is the primary way to pay for the program, it could finance only a very modest home-care benefit.

    Other long-term care proposals put forward by researchers and policymakers look at increasing the Medicare tax to pay for expanding access to this benefit. Here again, how much money needs to be raised depends on how comprehensive the program would be. Researchers at the Brookings Institution estimated that making long-term care more widely available to people covered by Medicare would probably cost about $40 billion.

    Why hasn’t Medicare covered in-home care until now?

    When it was originally launched in 1966, the Medicare program was intended to cover acute medical care services. At that time, life expectancy was lower than it is today – meaning that fewer Americans over 65 were eligible for its benefits and would live long enough to require long-term care.

    In the following six decades, no public insurance program like Medicare has emerged to help people pay for this care.

    But as far back as 1994, lawmakers were drafting proposals to cover long-term care. More recently, legislators have introduced bills that could fill this gap. However, many prior efforts have failed due to a lack of agreement on how to pay for these benefits and whether everyone should be eligible, or just low-income people.

    Because the federal government hasn’t stepped up, some states have introduced their own policies.

    Washington state is the furthest along in this effort. It has created a public long-term care insurance program where working Washington residents contribute a small percentage of their income into the fund and can then access earned benefits to pay for services. However, due to a ballot measure that Washington voters will weigh in on during the November 2024 elections, the program may become voluntary. We believe that letting people opt out would likely make that program unsustainable.

    California has also made headway, completing two feasibility studies to examine the potential of a statewide long-term care insurance program. In 2024, California also eliminated the financial asset limits for Medicaid eligibility to help expand the program so it can cover more of the state’s older residents.

    Jane Tavares receives funding from the National Council on Aging.

    Marc Cohen does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Harris proposes that Medicare cover more in-home health care, filling a large gap for older Americans and their caregivers – https://theconversation.com/harris-proposes-that-medicare-cover-more-in-home-health-care-filling-a-large-gap-for-older-americans-and-their-caregivers-240865

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Environmental, Social, and Governance Materiality in XBRL Disclosures and Its Performance Predictability: Evidence from Japan

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. It assists its members and partners by providing loans, technical assistance, grants, and equity investments to promote social and economic development.

    Headquarters

    6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City 1550, Metro Manila, Philippines

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – Child rights organisation ChildFund, launch global online safety app

    Source: ChildFund

    Child rights organisation ChildFund have joined forces with The Girls and Boys Brigade to launch ChildFund’s global online safety app – Swipe Safe. ChildFund acknowledge the rapidly changing digital landscape and build an app that puts the power back in the hands of children and their parents.

    (Sydney, Australia).  In the countries in which ChildFund Australia works, the digital transformation of children’s lives has presented acute risks such as scams, cyberbullying, online grooming, and sexual, sexist, racist, or violent content. ChildFund has responded with the creation of the Swipe Safe program and app. The app serves to immediately strengthen children’s knowledge, skills and behaviours keeping them safe online.

    Swipe Safe has been beta tested in five separate phases, directly involving face-to-face training and app testing with tens of thousands of children in Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Fiji and the Solomon Islands. The organisation has now teamed up with the Boys and Girls Brigade to launch the app in Australia.

    They have also been testing the app with families at the Girls and Boys Brigade who have provided local insights into the app. Stephanie Fett the Family Support Coordinator at the Boys and Girls Brigade spoke about how technology is transforming the lives of families the centre supports.

    “We’re seeing young people using phones from about eight years on and they haven’t developed that rational thinking until they reach 24 or even 25 [years of age]. So they are really unaware of the risks online, the natural reaction of parents is to take the phone away. This however struggles to build trust and openness with the parent making it exceedingly more difficult for them to protect their children online.”

    Stephanie elaborated that the app helped build greater trust between parents, carers and children, which is key to helping keep children safer online.

    “Parents need to work to build an open online relationship with children so they are comfortable with talking about their experiences online. The Swipe Safe app is a great tool to help facilitate this communication” [Click here for more on Swipe Safe].”

    ChildFund Chief Development Officer Corinne Habel was thrilled to launch the app in Australia and bring the insights that they have learned in overseas to home soil.

    “The Swipe Safe app is a unique online safety app that has been developed by global child protection specialists. Reports indicate that the volume of child sexual abuse material has increased by 87% in the last 5 years.

    SwipeSafe helps parents, caregivers, children and young people navigate an increasingly risky online space.  The online world is an exciting place for children to learn, play and connect, and we need to give them the tools to stay safe and understand and feel comfortable reporting harmful situations.

     

    ChildFund Australia

    ChildFund Australia is an independent international development organisation that works to reduce poverty for children in many of the world’s most disadvantaged communities.

    We partner to create community and systems change which enables vulnerable children and young people, in all their diversity, to assert and realise their rights.

    ChildFund Australia is a member of the ChildFund Alliance – one of the world’s oldest and most experienced child-focused development agencies. With a global network of 11 organisations, the ChildFund Alliance assists nearly 32million children and families in 70 countries.

    As a member of the Australian Council for International Development, and a signatory to the ACFID Code of Conduct and the ACFID Fundraising Charter, ChildFund Australia must meet high standards of corporate governance, public accountability and financial management.

    In addition, ChildFund Australia is fully accredited by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade which manages the Australian Government’s overseas aid program. Accreditation is a stringent process in which all operational activities – financial, managerial, fundraising and program – are analysed. This not only requires that ChildFund demonstrate that funds are distributed to community projects, but that they are spent effectively in those communities for the benefit of children.

    About Corinne Habel

    Corinne is a highly experienced director and executive with diverse expertise across a variety of not-for-profit sectors including humanitarian, hospitals, education, environmental, the arts and faith-based. Originally from the US, Corinne brings over 20 years’ experience in implementing effective global strategies.  Her diplomatic approach is key in her ability to negotiate and influence effectively at all levels of corporate, foundation, government and the community.

    The Girls and Boys Brigade

    Since 1882, The Girls and Boys Brigade have provided a welcoming, safe place for children and youth, aged 5-18, who need a helping hand. Based in Surry Hills, our programs are open to children, youth and their families living within the City of Sydney local government area. The families who access our services experience a wide range of financial, social, educational and housing challenges.

    About Stephanie Fett

    Stephanie has 38 years of frontline experience in the community sector as well as a Masters in International Social Work and Community Development.

    Stephanie’s experience has taken her to NSW regional areas, remote Aboriginal communities, Victoria Queensland, as well as urban Sydney – city and west. She has worked in disability, addiction, mental health homelessness, youth, children and family, Out of Home Care, Juvenile Justice, unemployment, assessment and projects to increase access to services and decolonise systems.

    She believes the key to her work is relationship building which builds trust, working alongside people in a trauma informed way.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Refugees in east Africa suffer from high levels of depression, making it harder to rebuild lives – new study

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Olivier Sterck, Senior Research Officer, University of Oxford

    By the end of 2023, more than 100 million people globally had been forced to flee their homes due to war, violence, fear of persecution, and human rights violations.

    The majority are hosted in low- and middle-income countries, where many live in overcrowded camps or urban settlements, with limited access to food, employment and essential services. Many endure traumatic experiences not only before their displacement but also during and after it. They face armed conflict, marginalisation and poverty at every stage of their journey.

    These experiences may increase the likelihood of developing mental health disorders, which can persist years after displacement. This makes it harder for refugees to earn a living and integrate into society.

    As World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at the 2019 Global Refugee Forum:

    It’s a hidden epidemic and a silent killer. News reports show us the devastation of war. They show us refugees on the move, refugees in cities and refugees in large camps. But they don’t show us inside the minds of the people and how it affects their lives … Wounds heal. Homes are rebuilt. News cycles move on. But the psychosocial scars often go unnoticed and untreated for years.

    Despite this recognition, there are gaps in what’s known about the mental health of refugees.

    Most studies focus on refugees hosted in high-income countries, even though 75% of refugees live in low- and middle-income countries.

    We conducted a multi-country survey of 16,000 refugees and host community members in cities and camps across Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia. At the time of our research (between 2016 and 2018), these three countries hosted around 40% of Africa’s refugees – about 1.8 million people. The survey included Congolese and Somali refugees across most sites, as well as South Sudanese refugees in the Kenyan camps.

    Our study found that refugees in east Africa experienced higher rates of depression (31%) and functional impairment (62%) compared to the host population (10% and 25%, respectively).

    Prevalence was even higher among those exposed to violence and extended periods of displacement. They also faced greater economic hardship, such as higher unemployment, lower wages and poor diets.

    Our findings highlight the profound impact of mental health on refugees’ ability to rebuild their lives. It highlights the urgent need for targeted screening and evidence-based treatments to prevent a vicious cycle of mental disorders, economic hardship and poor social integration.

    What we studied

    Our study had three main goals.

    First, we wanted to see how common depression was among different refugee groups and how it compared to the local host communities. We measured depressive symptoms using a questionnaire that could evaluate moderate to severe depression. We also measured how well people were able to carry out daily activities, such as moving around, completing tasks and participating in community life – abilities that are often affected by depression.

    Second, we wanted to understand how past experiences of violence – before refugees fled their home countries – affected their mental health. This used event data which tracked violent events in refugees’ home districts during the three years before they fled and a subjective, self-reported measure of violence experiences. This allowed us to study the correlation between exposure to violence and depressive symptoms.

    And third, we explored the hidden toll depression takes across different life domains, including employment, health and overall well-being.

    High levels of depression

    The study found that 31% of refugees were depressed, compared to 10% of people in nearby host communities.

    A staggering 62% of refugees reported difficulties in functioning, compared to 25% of host community members. For example, many refugees reported moderate to severe difficulties in walking (35%), doing household chores (31%), concentrating (22%), or joining community activities (24%).

    Women, older refugees, and those who had been in exile longer were particularly vulnerable to worse mental health.

    More than half of the refugees in the survey reported experiencing or witnessing violence, either in their home countries or while fleeing. Refugees who experienced violence were about 17 percentage points more likely to experience depression, and 18 percentage points more likely to report functional impairment.

    We also found a “dose-response” relationship between violence and depression. This means the more severe the violence refugees experienced, the worse their mental health became over time.

    The impact of violence and depression extended far beyond mental health. Refugees with higher levels of depression and those exposed to violence also faced significant economic challenges. They were more likely to be unemployed, earn lower wages, have poorer diets, and report lower life satisfaction.

    This shows that depression directly affects individuals by limiting their ability to function. It also indirectly hinders their chances of rebuilding a stable, fulfilling life.

    Mental health interventions

    Our results highlight that refugees – particularly those exposed to violence and prolonged exile – are disproportionately affected by depression. It’s harder for them to achieve economic stability and integrate into their host communities.

    We also found that mental health issues get worse the longer refugees remain in exile, underscoring the need for early screening for mental illness.

    Based on our findings, we hypothesise that effective treatment of depression could potentially create a virtuous cycle, improving both refugees’ mental health and other broader economic outcomes. This makes a strong case for investing in refugees’ mental health in low- and middle-income countries.

    – Refugees in east Africa suffer from high levels of depression, making it harder to rebuild lives – new study
    – https://theconversation.com/refugees-in-east-africa-suffer-from-high-levels-of-depression-making-it-harder-to-rebuild-lives-new-study-240815

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Refugees in east Africa suffer from high levels of depression, making it harder to rebuild lives – new study

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Olivier Sterck, Senior Research Officer, University of Oxford

    By the end of 2023, more than 100 million people globally had been forced to flee their homes due to war, violence, fear of persecution, and human rights violations.

    The majority are hosted in low- and middle-income countries, where many live in overcrowded camps or urban settlements, with limited access to food, employment and essential services. Many endure traumatic experiences not only before their displacement but also during and after it. They face armed conflict, marginalisation and poverty at every stage of their journey.

    These experiences may increase the likelihood of developing mental health disorders, which can persist years after displacement. This makes it harder for refugees to earn a living and integrate into society.

    As World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at the 2019 Global Refugee Forum:

    It’s a hidden epidemic and a silent killer. News reports show us the devastation of war. They show us refugees on the move, refugees in cities and refugees in large camps. But they don’t show us inside the minds of the people and how it affects their lives … Wounds heal. Homes are rebuilt. News cycles move on. But the psychosocial scars often go unnoticed and untreated for years.

    Despite this recognition, there are gaps in what’s known about the mental health of refugees.

    Most studies focus on refugees hosted in high-income countries, even though 75% of refugees live in low- and middle-income countries.

    We conducted a multi-country survey of 16,000 refugees and host community members in cities and camps across Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia. At the time of our research (between 2016 and 2018), these three countries hosted around 40% of Africa’s refugees – about 1.8 million people. The survey included Congolese and Somali refugees across most sites, as well as South Sudanese refugees in the Kenyan camps.

    Our study found that refugees in east Africa experienced higher rates of depression (31%) and functional impairment (62%) compared to the host population (10% and 25%, respectively).

    Prevalence was even higher among those exposed to violence and extended periods of displacement. They also faced greater economic hardship, such as higher unemployment, lower wages and poor diets.

    Our findings highlight the profound impact of mental health on refugees’ ability to rebuild their lives. It highlights the urgent need for targeted screening and evidence-based treatments to prevent a vicious cycle of mental disorders, economic hardship and poor social integration.

    What we studied

    Our study had three main goals.

    First, we wanted to see how common depression was among different refugee groups and how it compared to the local host communities. We measured depressive symptoms using a questionnaire that could evaluate moderate to severe depression. We also measured how well people were able to carry out daily activities, such as moving around, completing tasks and participating in community life – abilities that are often affected by depression.

    Second, we wanted to understand how past experiences of violence – before refugees fled their home countries – affected their mental health. This used event data which tracked violent events in refugees’ home districts during the three years before they fled and a subjective, self-reported measure of violence experiences. This allowed us to study the correlation between exposure to violence and depressive symptoms.

    And third, we explored the hidden toll depression takes across different life domains, including employment, health and overall well-being.

    High levels of depression

    The study found that 31% of refugees were depressed, compared to 10% of people in nearby host communities.

    A staggering 62% of refugees reported difficulties in functioning, compared to 25% of host community members. For example, many refugees reported moderate to severe difficulties in walking (35%), doing household chores (31%), concentrating (22%), or joining community activities (24%).

    Women, older refugees, and those who had been in exile longer were particularly vulnerable to worse mental health.

    More than half of the refugees in the survey reported experiencing or witnessing violence, either in their home countries or while fleeing. Refugees who experienced violence were about 17 percentage points more likely to experience depression, and 18 percentage points more likely to report functional impairment.

    We also found a “dose-response” relationship between violence and depression. This means the more severe the violence refugees experienced, the worse their mental health became over time.

    The impact of violence and depression extended far beyond mental health. Refugees with higher levels of depression and those exposed to violence also faced significant economic challenges. They were more likely to be unemployed, earn lower wages, have poorer diets, and report lower life satisfaction.

    This shows that depression directly affects individuals by limiting their ability to function. It also indirectly hinders their chances of rebuilding a stable, fulfilling life.

    Mental health interventions

    Our results highlight that refugees – particularly those exposed to violence and prolonged exile – are disproportionately affected by depression. It’s harder for them to achieve economic stability and integrate into their host communities.

    We also found that mental health issues get worse the longer refugees remain in exile, underscoring the need for early screening for mental illness.

    Based on our findings, we hypothesise that effective treatment of depression could potentially create a virtuous cycle, improving both refugees’ mental health and other broader economic outcomes. This makes a strong case for investing in refugees’ mental health in low- and middle-income countries.

    Olivier Sterck receives funding from the IKEA Foundation.

    Julia R Pozuelo receives funding from the National Institute of Mental Health.

    Maria Flinder Stierna receives funding from the Norwegian Research Council.

    Raphael Bradenbrink received funding from the Heinrich Böll Foundation.

    – ref. Refugees in east Africa suffer from high levels of depression, making it harder to rebuild lives – new study – https://theconversation.com/refugees-in-east-africa-suffer-from-high-levels-of-depression-making-it-harder-to-rebuild-lives-new-study-240815

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –